Temperature Effects on the Formation of Free Radicals in the Amino Acids

Investigations show that the free radicals obtained at room temperature in the amino acids are generally not the same as those found when the sample is irradiated at the much lower temperature of liquid nitrogen, 77 deg K. However, when the sample is irradiated at the lower temperature and allowed to warm to room temperature, the radical obtained is usually the same as that produced by irradiation at room temperature. lt thus appears that the free radicals observed at room temperature are generally not the primary ones produced by the ionizing irradiation, but are secondary free radicals produced by molecular motions after the primary event of ionization. (auth)