Long-lived species in irradiated N2O-flushed saline phosphate buffer, with toxic effect upon E. coli K-12

The yield of inactivation of radioresistant strains of E. coli K-12 (wild type and uvr A mutant) suspended in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) is higher in suspensions irradiated under N2O-bubbling than in suspensions irradiated under N2-bubbling. This sensitization is largely a result of OH-induced toxic products formed in N2O-saturated PBS. Special emphasis is placed on establishing the conditions under which extracellular toxic products with lifetimes exceeding about 20 sec are formed. It is concluded that chlorine atoms are precursors for these toxic products and that N2O and phosphate potentiate their formation