Water induced dismutation of superoxide anion generates singlet molecular oxygen.
Direct spectroscopic measurement of 1268 nm singlet oxygen emission from KO2 suspensions at room temperature in three non-protonic solvents--CCl4, Cl2FCCClF2, and C6F14 by the action of water is reported. The results clearly show that the singlet oxygen generation is due to a water induced reaction, and suggest that one role of the enzyme superoxide dismutase may be the protection of biological structures, for example, lipid membranes, from degradation by singlet oxygen.
D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride / Q000494:pharmacology; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002621:Chemistry; D005617:Chlorofluorocarbons, Methane; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism*; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D013055:Spectrophotometry, Infrared; D013481:Superoxides / Q000378:metabolism*; D014867:Water
D005617:Chlorofluorocarbons, Methane; D014867:Water; D013481:Superoxides; D026082:Singlet Oxygen; D002251:Carbon Tetrachloride; D010100:Oxygen