H 2O + is extremely short-lived - so short-lived, in fact, that it is virtually impossible to see directly in experiments. First, the radiation ejects an electron, leaving a positively charged water molecule (H 2O +) in its wake. When radiation with sufficient energy hits a water molecule, it triggers a set of virtually instantaneous reactions. “The hydroxyl radical is itself of considerable importance, as it can diffuse through an organism, including our bodies, and damage virtually any macromolecule including DNA, RNA, and proteins.”īy understanding the time scale for the formation of the chemically aggressive hydroxyl radical and, thereby, gaining a deeper mechanistic understanding of the radiolysis of water, it may ultimately become possible to develop strategies to suppress this key step which can lead to radiation damage. “The truly exciting thing is that we’ve witnessed the fastest chemical reaction in ionized water, which leads to the birth of the hydroxyl radical,” said Argonne distinguished fellow Linda Young, the senior corresponding author of the study. While studying the fastest chemical reactions is interesting in its own right, this observation for water also has important practical implications. The observation was made possible by the availability of ultrafast X-ray free-electron-laser pulses, and is basically unobservable by other ultrafast methods. The proton transfer reaction is a process of great significance to a wide range of fields, including nuclear engineering, space travel, and environmental remediation. “The truly exciting thing is that we’ve witnessed the fastest chemical reaction in ionized water.” - Argonne distinguished fellow Linda Young
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