Anionic triphenylmethane dye solutions for low-dose food irradiation dosimetry

Abstract

The radiolytic bleaching of aryl sulfonic-substituted para-diethyl-amino triphenylmethane dye solutions can be used for dosimetry in the absorbed dose range 10 to 400 Gy. The sulfonic anions provide solubility of these acid dyes in water. Two of these dyes are supplied as stable greenish-blue biological stains when dissolved in weakly-acidic aqueous solution, Light Green SF Yellowish and Fast Green FCF. They have, respectively, linear molar absorption coefficients of 7.14 × 103(at pH5.4) and 10.0 × 103 (at pH4.2) m2mol−1, when measured at the peaks of the primary absorption bands, 630 nm and 622 nm, respectively. The bleaching due to irradiation with gamma rays shows a linear function with a positive slope between the negative logarithm of the absorbance and the absorbed dose. The effect of pH on the response is studied, as well as the effects of light and temperature on pre- and post-irradiation stability. A mechanism, based mainly on radiolytic oxidation of the protonated phenolic or sulfonated phenyl group by .OH, with the abstraction of H-atom to water, is postulated for neutral to slightly acidic aerated aqueous solutions. The influence of alcohol on diminishing the negative yield is demonstrated. Alkaline aqueous solutions of these dyes (pH 10.2) have a shorter-wavelength absorption maximum than acidic aqueous solutions. The effect of irradiation is to cause acidification (to pH 7) due to displacement of OH groups and degradation of the dye molecule to lower molecular weight organic acids.