Hydrolysis of Water (5)
| H2O (molecule) + ionizing radiation → H+ + OH− = (hydroxyl, free radical) |
| Recombination of: |
| H+ + H+ → H2 = hydrogen gas (not a problem) |
| H+ + OH− → H2O = water (not a problem) |
| Antioxidants can recombine with the OH− free radical and block hydrogen peroxide formation. If not, then the 2 hydroxyl ions could do the following: |
| OH− + OH− → H2O2 = hydrogen peroxide formation |
| H2O2 → H+ + HO2− = unstable peroxide |
| HO2− + organic molecule → stable organic peroxide |
| Stable organic peroxide → lack of essential enzyme → eventual cell death is possible |