The Formation of Peroxides in Tissue Lipids and Unsaturated Fatty Acids by Irradiation

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Lipids extracted from rat liver, heart, brain, kidney and spleen have been shown to produce peroxides after irradiation with electrons. Peroxide formation was much greater in irradiated aqueous emulsions of lipids than in irradiated dry lipids, and it varied with the tissue used, a dose of 5 kilorads producing 5.0 x 10-8 moles peroxide/mg heart lipid but only 0.36 x 10-8 moles/mg spleen lipid. Dilute emulsions formed considerably more peroxide than concentrated emulsions, and the peroxide yield depended on the emulsifying agent used, its concentration and the pH. Peroxide formation per gram tissue is similar to yields found in irradiated animals, and it is considered possible that peroxide formation in vivo may be a result of direct oxidation of unsaturated lipids by oxidizing radicals formed in the aqueous phase.