Journal profile · Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
ISSN 1474-905X · eISSN 1474-9092 · Royal Society of Chemistry · ENGLAND · Monthly · Founded 2002
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences: CAS Zone 3 · Chemistry (2025 upgraded edition); impact factor 3.52; hybrid open access; APC about USD 3,390; median 106 days to acceptance (104 articles, last 24 months); community-reported acceptance: 50%; 158 articles in 2025; indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Scope
Aims, scope and focus
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences is published by Royal Society of Chemistry and is in Zone 3 of Chemistry in the CAS Journal Ranking (2025 upgraded edition). By OpenAlex counts of its recent articles, its largest topics are Photodynamic Therapy Research Studies, Photochemistry and Electron Transfer Studies and Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine Chemistry, together about 28.3% of its articles. Its main subfields are Materials Chemistry. (generated from OpenAlex topic counts and CAS ranking data)
• Explore light-matter interactions in biology, chemistry, and beyond • European Photochemistry Association and European Society for Photobiology • OA Option: extend readership and amplify research impact Springer journals offer authors flexible OA options that allow them to increase the visibility and impact of their research while maintaining the same journal choice and publishing standards. Research published Open Access can reach a broader global audience across institutions, regions, and disciplines, and often achieves higher citation performance. Through OA Option, authors can continue publishing in journals they trust while enabling their work to be more widely accessed, shared, and used across the global research landscape
Source: LetPub
Research area (LetPub): Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Main research topics OpenAlex counts of recent articles; shares are approximate
- Photodynamic Therapy Research StudiesMedicine10.8%
- Photochemistry and Electron Transfer StudiesChemistry9.7%
- Porphyrin and Phthalocyanine ChemistryMaterials Science7.8%
- Nanoplatforms for cancer theranosticsEngineering7.1%
- Photochromic and Fluorescence ChemistryMaterials Science6.3%
- Skin Protection and AgingMedicine5.7%
- Photoreceptor and optogenetics researchNeuroscience5.5%
- Luminescence and Fluorescent MaterialsMaterials Science5.3%
Rankings & indexing
CAS ranking and database indexing
CAS Journal Ranking
CAS Journal Ranking, upgraded edition (March 2025)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Biophysics | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
CAS Xinrui Journal Ranking (March 2026)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Biophysics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 3 |
Top journal: noReview journal: not marked
CAS Journal Ranking, previous upgraded edition (December 2023)Chemistry Zone 3
| Level | Category | Zone |
|---|---|---|
| Major | Chemistry | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biophysics | Zone 3 |
| Minor | Biochemistry & Molecular Biology | Zone 4 |
| Minor | Chemistry, Physical | Zone 4 |
Top journal: noReview journal: no
Database indexing
SCIEScopusLetPub
International journal early-warning lists: not listed in any editionLetPub
Editions, and major and minor categories, are shown separately and never merged into one zone; check which edition your institution uses before you submit or report.
Metrics
Impact metrics and publication volume
Impact
- Impact factor
- 3.52LetPub ·
- CiteScore 2026-06
- 6.2LetPub ·
- SJR 2026-06
- 0.64LetPub ·
- SNIP 2026-06
- 0.94LetPub ·
- h-index
- 86LetPub ·
- h-index
- 140OpenAlex ·
- i10-index
- 3,036OpenAlex ·
- 2-year mean citedness
- 3.02OpenAlex ·
- Self-citation rate
- 2.9%LetPub ·
- Share of gold OA articles
- 35.87%LetPub ·
Volume
- Articles per year
- 152LetPub ·
Articles by year OpenAlex count · 5,329 in total · the current year is incomplete
| Year | Articles | Open access | Citations |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 169 | 78 | 45 |
| 2025 | 158 | 63 | 474 |
| 2024 | 160 | 70 | 953 |
| 2023 | 159 | 81 | 2,274 |
| 2022 | 215 | 110 | 2,730 |
| 2021 | 143 | 60 | 2,340 |
Sources count differently and were observed at different times, so each source's own value is kept; "publisher" marks figures from the journal's website.
Review & acceptance
Review time and acceptance
Review time from article dates manuscript dates registered with Crossref · to
106 daysMedian, submission to acceptance · P25–P75 75 days – 153 days
- Acceptance to online
- median 15 days (104 articles)
- Submission to online
- median 125 days
- Sample
- 104 articles with submission and acceptance dates (360 in the window); the latest was accepted on
Only articles that were accepted and published are counted, not the time spent on rejected manuscripts, so this usually runs longer than a publisher's "time to first decision".
Other sources
- Average review time (community reports)
- about 2.5 monthsLetPub ·
- Average acceptance (community reports)
- 50%LetPub ·
- Peer review
- Double anonymous peer reviewPublisher website
Community reports come from authors' own submissions (confidence 0.5) and are not a promise from the journal; for publisher figures, the journal's own definitions apply.
Fees & open access
APC and open-access policy
Hybrid open accessLetPub
A subscription journal in which authors can pay to publish their article open access.
| Source | APC | Fee waiver | License | Observed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| OpenAlex | USD 3,390 / EUR 2,690 / GBP 2,290 | — | — |
A hybrid journal charges the APC only when the author chooses open access; publishing under the subscription model is usually free.
The journal's website is authoritative for fees; sources were observed at different times and each keeps its own value, without averaging.
Submission
Article types and submission policies (journal website)
What to prepare6 items from the author guidelines
- Abstract
- 150–250 words
- Keywords
- ≥ 4
- Reference style
- Numbered, in order of citation
- Suggested reviewers
- Optional
- Graphical abstract
- Required
- Cover letter
- Required
Article types accepted14, with length limits
- brief-reportBrief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable.Length not stated
- commentComments and Replies are a medium for the discussion and exchange of scientific opinions between authors and readers concerning material published in PPS.Length not stated
- forumThe Forum section of the journal offers extremely rapid publication of critical comments or opinions on concepts and results expressed in papers published in PP…Length not stated
- full articleBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- full paperBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- hypothesisBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- letterBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- methodologyMethodology are short (usually no more than four printed journal pages) single accounts of novel scientific work that warrants rapid publication.Length not stated
- opinionBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- perspectiveBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- protocolProtocols are published by invitation of the editor-in-chief and provide step by step procedures to perform crucial experiments with key details. They should fa…main text ≤ 250 words · abstract ≤ 80 words
- researchFull papers contain original scientific work that has not been published previously.Length not stated
- reviewBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
- technical noteBrief-report Brief-reports contain novel scientific work of such importance that rapid publication is desirable. Authors should briefly indicate in a covering l…Length not stated
Policy excerpts from the journal's websiteAI use, Authorship, Conflicts of interest, Data availability, Publication ethics, License & copyright, Open access
- AI use Generative AI Images
Please check Springer’s policy on generative AI images and make sure your work adheres to the principles described therein. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Authorship Authorship principles
These guidelines describe authorship principles and good authorship practices to which prospective authors should adhere to. Authorship clarified The Journal and Publisher assume all authors agreed with the content and that all gave explicit consent to submit and that they obtained consent from the responsible authorities at the institute/organization where the work has been carried out, before th…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Conflicts of interest Competing Interests
Authors are requested to disclose interests that are directly or indirectly related to the work submitted for publication. Interests within the last 3 years of beginning the work (conducting the research and preparing the work for submission) should be reported. Interests outside the 3-year time frame must be disclosed if they could reasonably be perceived as influencing the submitted work. Disclo…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Data availability Data availability statements
Data availability statement required for all original research. Model summary
All original research must include a data availability statement. This statement should explain how to access data supporting the results and analysis in the article, including links/citations to publicly archived datasets analysed or generated during the study. Please see our full policy here. If it is not possible to share research data publicly, for instance when individual privacy could be com…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Publication ethics Compliance with Ethical Standards
To ensure objectivity and transparency in research and to ensure that accepted principles of ethical and professional conduct have been followed, authors should include information regarding sources of funding, potential conflicts of interest (financial or non-financial), informed consent if the research involved human participants, and a statement on welfare of animals if the research involved an…
Source ↗Publisher website ·- License & copyright Copyright
Open Choice articles do not require transfer of copyright as the copyright remains with the author. In opting for open access, the author(s) agree to publish the article under a Creative Commons license. Details of the OA licences offered to authors can be found on the individual journal website, in the journal's How to publish with us guide. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·- Open access Open access publishing
ORCID required for corresponding author. Model summary
To find out more about publishing your work Open Access in Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences, including information on fees, funding and licences, visit our Open access publishing page. Back to top
Source ↗Publisher website ·
Excerpts are quoted from the journal's website; "model summary" lines are written by Workers AI and checked against the text. The journal's website is authoritative.
Profile
Publication details and official links
- Publisher
- Royal Society of Chemistry
- Country or region
- ENGLAND
- Language
- English
- Frequency
- Monthly
- Founded
- 2002
- ISSN
- 1474-905X
- Electronic ISSN
- 1474-9092
- Official links
- Journal homepage ↗OpenAlex
- Submission system ↗Publisher website
- Author guidelines ↗LetPub
- Special issues ↗Publisher website
FAQ
Frequently asked questions about Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences
What CAS zone is Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences in?
In the 2025 upgraded edition of the CAS Journal Ranking, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences is in Zone 3 of Chemistry, and in Zone 3 of the minor category Chemistry, Physical / Biochemistry & Molecular Biology / Biophysics. In the 2026 Xinrui edition it is in Zone 3 of Chemistry. Zones from different editions, and from major and minor categories, are not interchangeable.
What is the impact factor of Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences?
The latest impact factor listed by LetPub is 3.52; CiteScore 6.2, h-index 140.
How long does peer review take at Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences?
Based on the dates recorded on 104 articles published between October 2024 and October 2026 (the last 24 months), the median time from submission to acceptance is 106 days (interquartile range 75–153 days); authors report an average review time of about 2.5 months; the community-reported acceptance is “50%”. Article statistics cover accepted papers only, publisher figures follow the journal's own definitions, and community reports come from authors' own submissions; none is a promise from the journal.
What are the manuscript requirements of Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences?
According to the journal's author guidelines: Abstract: 150–250 words; Keywords: ≥ 4; Reference style: Numbered, in order of citation; Suggested reviewers: Optional; Graphical abstract: Required; Cover letter: Required. A model extracted these from the author guidelines and each was checked against the text; check the latest version on the journal's website before submitting.
Which databases index Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences?
According to LetPub and DOAJ records, Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences is indexed in SCIE and Scopus.
Is Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences open access, and what is the APC?
Photochemical & Photobiological Sciences is a hybrid journal. For open-access publication: APC about USD 3,390.
Sources and updates
The facts on this page come from LetPub, OpenAlex, Publisher website; every figure is tagged with its source and the date it was observed, and conflicting values are kept per source. LetPub source page: view ↗ (archived 2026-08-26). Last updated: .