The infrared (ATR-FTIR) and Raman spectroscopy was used for the structural characterization of honeybee wings. Protein, chitin, and lipid characteristic spectral features were detected using both methods. The protein secondary structure was predominantly composed of the ß-sheet molecular conformation with ß-turns or coil contributions. The vibration modes of the side-chain aromatic amino acid residues (tyrosine, phenylalanine, tryptophan) occurred in the wing spectra. The results of discriminant analysis showed that the infrared spectroscopy of the wing in combination with a multivariate analysis seemed promising for a resolution of the chemical structure of the wings based on lipid, proteins, and chitin content.
vibrational spectroscopy, protein, lipid, chitin
Machovič, V., Lapčák, L., Havelcová, M., Borecká, L., Novotná, Mi., Novotná, Ma., Javůrková, I., Langrová, I., Hájková, Š., Brožová, A., Titěra, D. (2017): Analysis of European Honeybee (Apis mellifera) Wings Using ATR-FTIR and Raman Spectroscopy: a Pilot Study. Scientia Agriculturae Bohemica, 48, 22-29. doi: 10.1515/sab-2017-0004