title: Electron attachment to uracil: effective destruction at subexcitation energies.
abstract: We demonstrate that electrons at energies below the threshold for electronic excitation (<3 eV) effectively decompose gas phase uracil generating a mobile hydrogen radical and the corresponding closed shell uracil fragment anion (U-H)(-). The reaction is energetically driven by the large electron affinity of the (U-H) radical. This observation has significant consequences for the molecular picture of radiation damage, i.e., genotoxic effects or damage of living cells due to the secondary component of high energy radiation.
authors.affiliation: Institut für Ionenphysik der Universität Innsbruck, Technikerstrasse 25, A-6020 Innsbruck, Austria.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Hanel
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gstir
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Denifl
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scheier
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Probst
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Farizon
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Farizon
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Illenberger
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Märk
mesh_terms: D004249:DNA Damage; D004583:Electrons; D012313:RNA / Q000737:chemistry / Q000528:radiation effects; D014498:Uracil / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014498:Uracil; D012313:RNA