Radiation Chemistry of Gelatin Gels Containing Ferricyanide

Abstract

The G value of the reduction of ferricyanide in gels containing up to 20% w/w gelatin increases with increasing protein concentration to a value corresponding approximately to the sum of the primary radicals, $G(e_{{\rm aq}}^{-}+{\rm H}+{\rm OH})$. In the presence of added $N_{2}{\rm O}$ a similar value is reached at lower gelatin concentrations. Added O2 reduces the yield but does not eliminate the reduction process. The results are interpreted in terms of a mechanism involving intermediate organic free radicals, and an attempt is made to correlate the results with radical diffusion in gels.