The effect of the short wavelength ultraviolet radiation. An extension of biological dosimetry to the UV-C range.
Polycrystalline uracil thin layer can be used as biological dosimeter for assessing exposure to UV radiation. The dimerization and reversion efficiency of the ultraviolet radiation in the UV-B and the UV-C range were quantified on polycrystalline uracil thin layers irradiated with quasi-monochromatic radiation using interference filters of 10nm bandwidth. The dimer formation and monomerization (reversion) dose-effect relations were determined by optical spectroscopy. The decrease of the OD value of the uracil thin layer at 288 nm was taken as a measure of the dimer formation, while the increase of the OD of a completely irradiated (until reaching the saturation level) uracil layer was taken as the sign of the monomerization. The two processes in the UV-B and the UV-C range take place simultaneously, the individual characterization of the dimerization efficiency was performed from the initial slope of the dimerization dose-effect function and an action spectrum for dimerization was constructed in the UV-C range too. The reversion efficiency was found to be practically the same with all of the investigated wavelengths: 200 nm, 210 nm, 220 nm, 230 nm, 240 nm The possible biological relevance of the reversion of dimers are discussed.
Kovács
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Research Group for Biophysics, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, P.O. Box 263, Budapest 1444-H, Hungary. gkovacs@puskin.sote.hu
Fekete
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A
Bérces
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Rontó
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D004249:DNA Damage / Q000528:radiation effects*; D019281:Dimerization; D004307:Dose-Response Relationship, Radiation; D009696:Nucleic Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects*; D011836:Radiation Tolerance; D013057:Spectrum Analysis; D014466:Ultraviolet Rays; D014498:Uracil / Q000032:analysis / Q000528:radiation effects*
D009696:Nucleic Acids; D014498:Uracil