title: VUV spectroscopy of water under cellular conditions.
abstract: The understanding of radiation damage within cells, and thence mutagenesis, depends upon a detailed knowledge of the spectroscopy and dissociation dynamics of water. Results of a new study of the electronic state spectroscopy of water, using synchrotron radiation are reported. In order to gain some insight into how the spectroscopy and dissociation dynamics of water is influenced by its environment we also report photo-absorption spectra of water within thin films of poly(o-methoxyaniline) which have been suggested as a good mimic for biological membranes in the cellular environment. Comparison of these spectra with those of gaseous water and condensed amorphous water ice suggest that water in such films is similar to gaseous water and does not show the blue shift suggested in some cellular models. The lowest energy of OH production from dissociation of water in the cellular environment may therefore be around 6.7 eV (185 nm).
authors.affiliation: Laboratório de Colisões Atómicas e Moleculares, Departamento de Física, CEFITEC, FCT-Universidade Nova de Lisboa, 2829-516 Caparica, Portugal.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mota
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Parafita
authors.forename: M J P
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Maneira
authors.forename: N J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: P A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Ribeiro
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Raposo
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Limão-Vieira
mesh_terms: D002462:Cell Membrane / Q000737:chemistry*; D002468:Cell Physiological Phenomena; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008954:Models, Biological; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D011874:Radiometry / Q000379:methods*; D013056:Spectrophotometry, Ultraviolet / Q000379:methods*; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D014867:Water