Abstract
THE mechanisms of the primary stage of radiobiological damage involve three major problems. First, the destructive effect of relatively small doses of radiation. This cannot be explained on a purely statistical basis, so long as most components in the living cell exhibit a comparable reactivity towards the primary radicals formed by radiation. Secondly, the oxygen effect which undoubtedly increases the radiosensitivity of the living system. This effect could possibly be explained by inhibiting the recombination of organic radicals by the formation of peroxides. Thirdly, the action of radiation protecting agents which can scarcely be explained quantitatively. These reagents are generally considered either as scavengers of the primary free radicals or as hydrogen atom donors in a repair mechanism. Recent experiments on the effect of metal ions on the radiolytic behaviour of organic solutes may throw some light on these problems.
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