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Radiation-induced Hydrolysis of Acetal: Evidence for the Reaction of H3O+ Ions in Spurs in the Radiolysis of Water

Abstract

IT has recently been experimentally demonstrated that in water close to pH. 7 (ref. 1) and at pH. 4 (ref. 2), the reducing radical formed during radiolysis bears a unit negative charge. This suggests that an ejected electron escapes from its parent H2O+ ion. It follows that H2O+ ions should temporarily exist in a spur. The H2O+ ions, or their hydrolysis products, H3O+(H2O+ + H2O→H3O+ +· OH), might cause a suitable solute to ‘see’ a spur as a volume which temporarily has a lower pH than the body of the solution. The purpose of this communication is to present some experimental results which we interpret as evidence for this effect.

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SMITH, D., STEVENS, W. Radiation-induced Hydrolysis of Acetal: Evidence for the Reaction of H3O+ Ions in Spurs in the Radiolysis of Water. Nature 200, 66–67 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/200066a0

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