Chemistry / Unit 12 Chem 2556 short lesson, about 20 seconds
Direct vs. Indirect Radiation Damage
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The idea
Ionizing radiation damages biomolecules directly by breaking bonds, or indirectly via a nearby water molecule ionized into a hydroxyl radical that damages it.
In practice
A hydroxyl radical from ionized water can react with a DNA strand it never directly absorbed radiation from.
Where people slip
Since water is abundant in a cell, indirect damage via hydroxyl radicals is often the dominant pathway, not a minor effect.
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