Irradiation of hemoglobin using high-energy neutrons.

Aqueous solutions of oxyhemoglobin were irradiated with 80 Mev neutrons with doses of 0.9 Mrads and 1,400 rads. Spectrophotometric measurements were made on the irradiated solutions. Absorption measurements for the 0.9-Mrad irradiation indicated that oxyhemoglobin was converted into methemoglobin and that porphyrin molecules were destroyed. The 1,400-rad irradiation gave no measureable conversion of oxyhemoglobin into methemoglobin. There was, however, destruction of some of the oxyhemoglobin.Results indicated that high-energy neutron irradiation causes structural alteration of the hemoglobin molecule and that this alteration is similar to that found for gamma and x-rays.