Modulation of defect-mediated energy transfer from ZnO nanoparticles for the photocatalytic degradation of bilirubin

• Tanujjal Bora,
• Karthik K. Lakshman,
• Soumik Sarkar,
• Abhinandan Makhal,
• Samim Sardar,
• Samir K. Pal and
• Joydeep Dutta

Beilstein J. Nanotechnol. 2013, 4, 714–725, doi:10.3762/bjnano.4.81

• ; Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET); neonatal jaundice; oxygen vacancy; photocatalysis; phototherapy; zinc oxide nanoparticles; Introduction Bilirubin (BR) is a yellow-orange pigment which is a byproduct of the normal heme catabolism in mammals. In the human body, 250–400 mg BR is produced every day

• people suffering from jaundice die every year [3]. Jaundice is most commonly seen in newly born babies (neonatal jaundice) and typically develops within a few weeks after birth. There can be many sources for neonatal jaundice, such as weak liver function, a high level of red blood cells, and the

• deficiency of important enzymes in the body [4]. At present, phototherapy, the treatment of various diseases with light irradiation, is the most widely used treatment for neonatal jaundice. In it, the unconjugated (Z,Z)-BR isomers are converted to water-soluble (Z,E)-BR isomers by using a light source