Influence of Sensitisers on Chemical Reactions produced by Gamma Radiation

Abstract

ATTENTION was first directed to the above subject during the course of an investigation on the decomposition of chloroform by radiation from radon. Chloroform is decomposed with liberation of chlorine which slowly disappears with formation of hydrochloric acid as a secondary product. The decomposition was measured by estimating the chlorine set free. Certain discrepancies were obtained in the results which were largely explained when it was found that the apparent rate of decomposition was greatly influenced by the presence of the products formed. This was shown by irradiating for a second time the chloroform containing small quantities of products from the first irradiation. It has been demonstrated by others that traces of moisture considerably increase the decomposition of chloroform by X-radiation.