Determination of New Radical Species in Ammonium Tartrate Dosimeters by CW- and Pulsed-EPR Techniques

Samples of ammonium tartrate irradiated with doses of about 0.1–1 kGy by different beams of ionizing radiation (60Co–γ, 19 MeV protons and 62 MeV per nucleon carbon ions) were studied by continuous-wave electron paramagnetic resonance (cw-EPR) and by pulse-EPR techniques. Careful analysis of the cw-EPR and of the echo-detected EPR spectra allowed the identification of a second radical in the system besides the already known radical formed at high temperature by an hydrogen elimination at C(2) position [M. Brustolon et al., Res. Chem. Int 4:359, 1996]. The spectrum of the radical is compatible with that of a radical obtained by hydroxyl elimination.