Solar energy is the initial power of photosynthesis. Plants and algae cannot proceed in the absence of light, and limited light conditions will limit photosynthesis. However, the conversion of solar energy into chemical energy is a potentially hazardous business that photosynthetic organisms expertly master. Whenever sunlight can actually be converted to chemical energy, there is minimal potential for problems. However, no leaf or algal cell can utilize all the light absorbed by the antenna system during exposure to full sunlight. Excessive light may be potentially dangerous to phototrophic organisms because it has the potential to be transferred to the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which can result in cell damage (Ledford N Lu V Emerson A Kirk, 1994). The light energy absorbed by the chlorophyll of photosynthetic organisms drives photosynthesis and is also dissipated as heat and fluorescence. To avoid massive ROS accumulation, phytoplankton and plants employ a host of protective mechanisms (Kanervo et al., 2005; Lavaud et al., 2002) – including various alternative energy-dissipation pathways (Adams et al., 2006) and multiple antioxidant systems
The Xanthophyll Cycle in Aquatic Phototrophs and Its Role in the Mitigation of Photoinhibition and Photodynamic Damage
Published 2012 in Unknown venue
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- Publication year
2012
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Unknown venue
- Publication date
2012-03-02
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Biology, Chemistry, Environmental Science
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