A study of gamma and neutron interaction with aqueous solutions of L-phenylalanine

Abstract

A study of neutron and gamma interaction (in the low dose range) with L-phenylalanine in aqueous solutions shows that the main radiolytic pathway occurs through the attack of OH radicals. The products of the interaction are essentially tyrosine, Dopa and melanine in both cases. However, for gamma radiation there is a complete utilization of the OH radicals and the reaction pathway mainly proceeds by the sequence: phenylalanine»tyrosine»Dopa»melanine. On the contrary, for neutron radiation, the OH recombination is a rather efficient process and the prevailing pathway is: phenylalanine»Dopa»melanine.