National Laser Symposium, NLS-23, S.V. University, Tirupati. 3-6 Dec 2014 NLS-23 Identifier: ISBN: 9788190332156 CP-09-14 Laser Induced Fluorescence Study of Syzgium cumini Sweta Sharma 1 , Shuchi Srivastava 2 , Renu Singh 3 and K. N. Uttam 4 1 Department of Botany, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002 2,3,4 Saha’s Spectroscopy Laboratory, Department of Physics, University of Allahabad, Allahabad-211002 Email: swetasharma3989@gmail.com, kailash.uttam@rediffmail.com Abstract Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) and Ultraviolet-Visible ((UV-VIS) spectroscopy techniques have been applied for the compositional study of the raw and ripe fruits of the Syzgium cumini (jamun). The LIF and UV-VIS spectra of the different parts of the Syzgium cumini (jamun) fruit have been recorded in the spectral region of 400- 1100 nm and 200-800 nm respectively. The study of the recorded spectrum shows the presence of different bioactive compounds like Anthocyanin, Flavonols, Benzoic acid, Carotenoid and Chlorophyll. In light of the obtained results, possible mechanism of ripening of jamun fruit has been discussed. Introduction The detection of compounds at a cellular level is of great importance in biological sciences. The vibrational spectroscopy methods provide opportunity for the identification of natural compounds existing in living cells. Laser induced fluorescence spectroscopy coupled with electronic spectroscopy can significantly contribute to further understanding of ongoing biochemical processes. The LIF spectroscopy is shown to be a powerful tool for the investigation of plant material at a molecular level, providing complementary information to that obtained by UV- VIS spectroscopy. LIF spectroscopy requires minimal sample preparation to generate useful measurements. Moreover, while this method is considered to be nondestructive to biological material (since it causes neither thermal, chemical, nor physical tissue decomposition), there are only few reports evaluating LIF spectroscopy effects on living tissues of fruits and its seed material. The absorbance of a material is a logarithmic ratio of the radiation falling upon a material to the radiation transmitted through a material. UV-VIS absorbance measurement encompasses a wide variety of chemical and biochemical applications which involve many areas of research and industrial end uses. UV-VIS absorbance can be applied qualitatively and quantitatively in spectroscopic measurement applications ranging from chemical concentrations in process to the reaction monitoring. Fiber-Optic spectrometers offer a tremendous value proposition for UV-VIS and LIF measurements because of their relatively low cost, small size and ability to be introduced in harsh environments through the fiber interface. Combined with a fiber-optic transmission dip probe, in-line flow cells or the more traditional cuvette cell, a fiber-optic spectrometer can accurately and repeatedly measure over the range from 200-1100 nm. Syzygium cumini commonly known as jamun or blackplum belongs to family Myrtaceae. The fruit is acrid, sweet, cooling and astringent to the bowels, biliousness, stomachic, astringent, diuretic and antidiabetic [1] . The ripe fruits have dietary as well as pharmaceutical applications. Jamun fruit’s seed and pulp have been reported in lowering blood sugar level thus serving as a therapy in diabetes mellitus. Seeds of syzgium cuminii are also found to have anti-inflammatory, antipyretic and are reported to have tannins, glycosides, flavonoides [2] . Most of the earlier studies related with compositional studies have confined themselves on chemical methods involved time consuming and laborious sample preparation process. The LIF technique is non destructive, free from sample preparation, sensitive, environmental friendly and produce rapid data output. Because of these supremacies of the spectroscopic