Measurement of fluorescence decay of substances absorbed by an isolated living cell: an experimental device and early results]

A microfluorometric system allowing the mesurements of fluorescence decay (i.e. fluorescence lifetime) has been built. It will complete the microspectrofluorometric studies of absorbed compounds-polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, metabolites of benzo (a) pyrene-by single living cells and allows a better understanding of the intake and metabolisation of these compounds. The preliminary results with benzo (a) pyrene, dibenzocarbazole, pyrene are shown.