Photocatalytic properties and structure of chitosan-based porphyrin-containing systems

The photocatalytic activity of the disodium salt of substituted hematoporphyrin in a model reaction of tryptophan oxidation in the presence of chitosan with different molecular masses and a block copolymer of ethylene and propylene oxides (Pluronic F-127) is studied. It is shown that, in the presence of the Pluronic, the catalytic activity of the chitosan-porphyrin system increases. The structure of chitosan-Pluronic systems, depending on the molecular mass of chitosan and the presence of porphyrin, is examined by AFM. A pleasible mechanism of the influence of the Pluronic on the photocatalytic activity of chitosan-por-phyrin systems is proposed.