A Missing Puzzle in Dissociative Electron Attachment to Biomolecules: The Detection of Radicals
Ionizing radiation releases a flood of low-energy electrons that often causes the fragmentation of the molecular species it encounters. Special attention has been paid to the electrons’ contribution to DNA damage via the dissociative electron attachment (DEA) process. Although numerous research groups worldwide have probed these processes in the past, and many significant achievements have been made, some technical challenges have hindered researchers from obtaining a complete picture of DEA. Therefore, this research perspective calls urgently for the implementation of advanced techniques to identify non-charged radicals that form from such a decomposition of gas-phase molecules. Having well-described DEA products offers a promise to benefit society by straddling the boundary between physics, chemistry, and biology, and it brings the tools of atomic and molecular physics to bear on relevant issues of radiation research and medicine.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- Grant/Contract Number:
- FC02-04ER15533
- OSTI ID:
- 1824725
- Journal Information:
- Atoms, Journal Name: Atoms Vol. 9 Journal Issue: 4; ISSN 2218-2004
- Publisher:
- MDPI AGCopyright Statement
- Country of Publication:
- Switzerland
- Language:
- English
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