Electron accelerators reveal the radical secrets of antioxidants
Tuesday, March 19, 2019 - 09:10
in Physics & Chemistry
In a groundbreaking series of experiments, an Osaka University researcher has demonstrated an exciting new method for understanding the power of antioxidants to protect us from harmful free radicals. Professor Kazuo Kobayashi has used linear electron accelerators, sometimes called "linacs," to fling electrons at speeds not previously seen in biological research. When the electrons slammed into water molecules in the samples, highly reactive free radicals were produced. This work will be extremely valuable for understanding the body's naturally occurring antioxidant molecules and proteins, such as ascorbic acid, also called vitamin C.