Re: dissolved gases and their effects on DNA damage

["ruth_weiner" <ruth_weiner@email.msn.com>]

Molecular oxygen has a peculiar structure -- a sort of "three-electron"
bond, and is paramagnetic (you know those clips they clip on your finger to
measure the oxygen content of your blood?  they work on the basis of the
paramagnetic absorption of oxygen).  I suspect that it is this property that
modifies radiogenic damage, so NO might do the same thing; the electronic
structure is not the same, but similar.  But this may be because, to a
chemist, everything looks like a chemical structure problem.

Ruth Weiner
ruth_weiner@msn.com
-----Original Message-----
From: Karam, Andrew <Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu>
To: Multiple recipients of list <radsafe@romulus.ehs.uiuc.edu>
Date: Thursday, August 03, 2000 8:27 AM
Subject: dissolved gases and their effects on DNA damage


>I have been doing some reading on the effects of oxygen in modifying
>radiogenic damage to DNA.  This has led me to wonder if anyone knows of any
>other gases that have been noted to modify DNA damage rates (either enhance
>OR reduce radiogenic damage).  I would imagine, for example, that dissolved
>hydrogen might serve to reduce damage because its presence might help
>scavenge free oxygen.  But I haven't a clue as to whether or not, day,
>dissolved CO2, N2, sulfur compounds, methane, etc. might do anything.
>
>I'd appreciate any comments, speculation, or suggested reading on this
>matter.   Thanks!
>
>Andy
>
>Andrew Karam, CHP              (716) 275-1473 (voice)
>Radiation Safety Officer          (716) 275-3781 (office)
>University of Rochester           (716) 256-0365 (fax)
>601 Elmwood Ave. Box HPH   Rochester, NY  14642
>
>Andrew_Karam@URMC.Rochester.edu
>http://Intranet.urmc.rochester.edu/RadiationSafety
>
>If a man never contradicts himself, the reason must be that he virtually
>never says anything at all.  (Miguel de Unamuno, quoted in "What is Life?"
>by Erwin Schrodinger)
>
>************************************************************************
>The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
>information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html



************************************************************************
The RADSAFE Frequently Asked Questions list, archives and subscription
information can be accessed at http://www.ehs.uiuc.edu/~rad/radsafe.html