title: Quantitation of the hydroxyl radical by reaction with dimethyl sulfoxide.
abstract: This investigation was conducted to validate the use of dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) as a quantitative molecular probe for the generation of hydroxyl radicals (HO.) in aqueous systems. Reaction of HO. with DMSO produces methane sulfinic acid as a primary product, which can be detected by a simple colorimetric assay. To evaluate this method for estimating total HO. production, we studied three model systems, including the Fenton reaction, gamma irradiation of water, and ultraviolet photolysis of hydrogen peroxide, for which the theoretical maximum yield of HO. could be calculated and compared to measured DMSO oxidation. The results confirm that 0.05 to 1 M DMSO may be used to capture nearly all of the expected HO. radicals formed. Thus, methane sulfinic acid production from DMSO holds promise as an easily measured marker for HO. formation in aqueous systems pretreated with DMSO.
authors.affiliation: Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, Indiana 47907.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Steiner
authors.forename: C F
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Babbs
mesh_terms: D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide; D005720:Gamma Rays; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D006878:Hydroxides; D010782:Photolysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D006878:Hydroxides; D013441:Sulfinic Acids; D014867:Water; C053310:methanesulfinic acid; D006861:Hydrogen Peroxide; D004121:Dimethyl Sulfoxide