THERMODYNAMIC ANALYSIS OF OXIDATIVE INACT IVATION OF INFLUENZA-VIRUS AND LIPID-PEROXIDATION IN VIRUS ENVELOPES

The ''activation energy'' values for virus inactivation (22.2 kcal/ mo l) calculated using Arrenius formula and the levels of accumulation of the final product of lipid peroxidation, fluorescent pigment (21.2 kc al/mol), in virus envelopes were found to be iu good correlation for p urified influenza A/PR8/34 virus suspensions stored at temperatures fr om 6 to 37 degrees C. A ''lipid'' mechanism of inactivation of envelop ed viruses is proposed, permitting, together with the ''nucleic'' and ''protein'' mechanisms, a satisfactory interpretation of the relations hip between tile stability of viral material and the medium compositio n, lipid composition of virus envelopes, and other meters.