Flash Photolysis and Pulse Radiolysis

Book excerpt: Flash Photolysis and Pulse Radiolysis: Contributions to the Chemistry of Biology and Medicine presents the interaction of radiation with biomolecules, which is either beneficial o deleterious to life. This book discusses the biochemical reactions that are not radiation-induced by selectively generating certain types of free radicals present in normal metabolic processes. Organized into nine chapters, this book begins with an overview of the principle of both pulse radiolysis and flash photolysis with photoelectric detection. This text then examines the applications of flash photolysis and pulse radiolysis to the chlorophylls, bile pigments, hemoglobin and myoglobin, and the porphyrins. Other chapters consider the carotenoids related to photosynthesis. This book discusses as well the role of proteins in nearly all biological processes, including enzymatic catalysis, muscular contraction, immune protection, mechanical support, and genetic information. The final chapter deals with the structures and importance of radiosensitizers. This book is a valuable resource for chemists and biochemists.