This is the first course devoted to bioelectrochemistry held within the
frame- work of the International School of Biophysics. Although this
branch of scientific research is already about two centuries old, as a
truly independent one it has been in a stage of lively development since
only a few decades ago and this is why a first course at the E. Majorana
Center was devoted to it. Since bioelectrochemistry consists of many
sub-fields, it is impossible to include, even superficially, all of them
in a short course lasting just a week, and therefore the chapter of
redox-reactions was chosen for this first course as being most general
in character. But even restricting the course to redox-reactions, only a
few subjects could be included and therefore the choice among them was
made considering the most general guidelines that could serve as a basis
for the further study of individual problems. In this way we hope to
give a sound basis to the study of and to stimulate further interest in
this branch of both biological and physical chemistry. This dual
interdisciplinary approach is, on the other hand, unavoidable if a more
rigorous and logical attack on biological problems in living bodies is
to be carried ahead. VII CONTENTS ix Symbols and acronyms Opening
address A. BORSELLINO 1 Bioelectrochemistry and bioenergetics: an
interdisciplinary survey G. MILAZZO 5 General criteria for the
fulfilment of redox reactions R. BUVET 15 Photosynthesis - selected
topics H.