ACTION OF IONISING RADIATIONS ON AQUEOUS SOLUTIONS OF CARBOHYDRATES

Technical Report · Sat Oct 31 04:00:00 EST 1959

OSTI ID:4290572

Phillips, G O; Mattok, G L; Moody, G J

The degradation of carbohydrates in aqueous solution by ionizing radiations has been examined by several methods. Paper chromtographic and isotope dilution methods were uscd to identify and estimate the products. A consistent pattern was evident in the behavior of monosaccharides, polysaccharides, and sugar alcohols. D-glucose was degraded in aqueous solution by cobalt-60 gamma radiation and 1 Mv electrons. The acid yield indicated that the extent and type of degradation was similar in both cases. Variation in glucose concentration and dose rate within the limits employed did not influence the acid yield in vacuum or in oxygen. The following constituents were estimated in the solution irradiated under oxygenated conditions: unchanged glucose, D- glucuronic acid, D-gluconic acid, glyoxal, D-arabinose, D-crythrose, formaldehyde, saccharic acid, and 3,3-dihydroxyacetone. The products correspond to more than 90% of the glucose consumed. Primary and secondary products were distinguished by measuring the rate of formation of the main products with dose. The results indicate three distinct types of scission of the glucosc molecule. The irradiation of Dmannose solutions was examined in a similar manner. The main products formed during the irradiation of dextran solutions with cobalt-60 gamma radiation were D-glucose, iso-maltose, iso-maltotriose, D-gluconic acid, D- glucuronic acid, glyoxal, D-erythrose, and Dglyceraldehyde. Aqueous solutions of D-sorbitol on irradiation in oxygen gave D-glucose, L-gulose, Dformed frora these compounds. The yield/dose curves for the main products indicate that the hexoses are the primary products. All the irradiated carbohydrate solutions showed a characteristic absorption at 265 m mu . Evidence is presented that this is due to the presence of 1.3-dihydroxyacetone formed by isomerization of Dglyceraldehyde. (auth)

• Research Organization: University Coll., Cardiff, Wales, Eng.
• NSA Number: NSA-13-006422
• OSTI ID: 4290572
• Report Number(s): A/CONF.15/P/47
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ABSORPTION
ACETONE
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
ARABINOSE
CARBOHYDRATES
CHEMISTRY
CHROMATOGRAPHY
COBALT 60
DECOMPOSITION
DIAGRAMS
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRON BEAMS
ENERGY LEVELS
ERYTHROCYTES
FORMIC ACID
GAMMA RADIATION
GASES
GLUCONIC ACID
GLUCOSE
GLYOXAL
HYDROXIDES
IONIZATION
IRRADIATION
ISOTOPES
LIGHT
ORGANIC ACIDS
PAPER
QUALITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION CHEMISTRY
RADIATION DOSES
RADIATION EFFECTS
RADIATION SOURCES
RADIOISOTOPES
RADIOLYSIS
REACTION KINETICS
SOLUTIONS
SORBITOL
SPECTRA
SPECTROSCOPY
SUGARS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
ULTRAVIOLET RADIATION
VACUUM
WATER