The Ability of Chlorophyll to Trap Carcinogen Aflatoxin B: A Theoretical Approach.

The coordination of one and two aflatoxin B (AFB, a potent carcinogen) molecules with chlorophyll a () was studied at a theoretical level. Calculations were performed using the M06-2X method in conjunction with the 6-311G(d,p) basis set, in both gas and water phases. The molecular electrostatic potential map shows the chemical activity of various sites of the AFB and molecules. The energy difference between molecular orbitals of AFB and allowed for the establishment of an intermolecular interaction. A charge transfer from AFB to the central cation of was shown. The energies of the optimized structures for show two configurations, unfolded and folded, with a difference of 15.41 kcal/mol. appeared axially coordinated to the plane (α-down or β-up) of the porphyrin moiety, either with the oxygen atom of the ketonic group, or with the oxygen atom of the lactone moiety of AFB. The complexes of maximum stability were -α-E-AFB and -β-E-AFB, at -36.4 and -39.2 kcal/mol, respectively. Additionally, with two AFB molecules were -D-2AFB and -E-2AFB, at -60.0 and -64.8 kcal/mol, respectively. Finally, biosorbents containing chlorophyll could improve AFB adsorption.