Origin of primary hydrogen atom yield in radiolysis of aqueous solutions

Abstract

Studies of the competitive scavenging of “primary hydrogen atoms” by the nitrate ion and organic solutes show that the yield of these atoms decreases in a similar way to the molecular hydrogen yield as the nitrate concentration increases. It is concluded that a reaction of the hydrated electron in the regions of high ionization density (spurs) such as e^–_s+H₃O⁺→H could be largely responsible for the appearance of the “primary hydrogen atom” yield.