Oxidation of dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR) to rhodamine 123 (RH) by oxoperoxonitrite (ONOO(-)), formed through recombination of NO and O(2)(·-) radicals resulting from thermal decomposition of 3-morpholinosydnonimine (SIN-1) in buffered aerated aqueous solution at pH 7.6, represents a kinetic model system of the reactivity of NO and O(2)(·-) in biochemical systems. A magnetic-field effect (MFE) on the yield of RH detected in this system is explored in the full range of fields between 0 and 18 T. It is found to increase in a nearly linear fashion up to a value of 5.5±1.6 % at 18 T and 23 °C (3.1±0.7 % at 40 °C). A theoretical framework to analyze the MFE in terms of the magnetic-field-enhanced recombination rate constant k(rec) of NO and O(2)(·-) due to magnetic mixing of T(0) and S spin states of the radical pair by the Δg mechanism is developed, including estimation of magnetic properties (g tensor and spin relaxation times) of NO and O(2)(·-) in aqueous solution, and calculation of the MFE on k(rec) using the theoretical formalism of Gorelik at al. The factor with which the MFE on k(rec) is translated to the MFE on the yield of ONOO(-) and RH is derived for various kinetic scenarios representing possible sink channels for NO and O(2)(·-). With reasonable assumptions for the values of some unknown kinetic parameters, the theoretical predictions account well for the observed MFE.

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Several factors control the reactivity of radicals and can provide the strategies to convert highly reactive species into more persistent species that are easier to detect in an experiment. A reaction can only proceed if sufficient mobility and thermodynamic driving force are provided and the reaction is allowed by steric considerations and by electronic states of the reagents and products. A violation of at least one of these conditions can make the radical relatively stable. In certain cases, these factors occur naturally, in other situations, they can be purposefully manipulated to reduce the reactivity of highly reactive radicals, prolonging their lifetime and increasing their concentration. The discussed examples cover a vast range of lifetimes, from 10(-9) seconds to 10(9) years, at concentration levels down to 10(3) radicals per sample (10(-18) M), and stress that stability and reactivity are not independent notions and are the two sides of the same coin.

The luminescent system of higher luminous fungi is not fully understood and the enzyme/substrate pair of the light emission reaction has not been isolated. It was suggested that luminescence of fungi involves oxidase-type enzymes, and reactive oxygen species are important for fungal light production. Generation of reactive oxygen species can be stimulated by ionizing irradiation, which has not been studied for luminous fungi. We report the effect of X-irradiation on the luminescence of fungus Neonothopanus nambi. Experiments were performed with mycelium on a home-built setup based on an X-ray tube and monochromator/photomultiplier tube. Application of X-rays does not change the emission spectrum, but after approximately 20 min of continuous irradiation, light production from unsupported mycelium starts growing and increases up to approximately five times. After peaking, its level decreases irrespective of the presence of X-irradiation. After staying at a certain level, light production collapses to zero, which is not related to the drying of the mycelium or thermal impact of radiation. The observed shape of kinetics is characteristic of a multistage and/or chain reaction. The time profile of light production must reflect the current levels of radicals present in the system and/or the activity of enzyme complexes involved in light production.