REACTIONS OF OZONE AND HYDROXYL RADICALS WITH SERINE

Serine, a common aquatic amino acid, was treated with ozone and ozone decomposition products such as hydroxyl radicals. Scavengers and promo ters were used to study ozone and hydroxyl radical reactions, respecti vely. Reactions of ozone and serine in the presence of hydroxyl radica l scavengers led to the formation of carbonyl and carboxylic acid bypr oducts containing one or two carbon atoms, indicating the loss of a ca rbon from the original serine. Nitrite and nitrate were detected, with nitrate being the major end product from the oxidation of the amine n itrogen. Reaction of ozone with serine under radical-promoting conditi ons led to the detection of compounds with one, two, and three carbon atoms, indicating that rupture of the original carbon backbone did not always occur. The byproducts detected included hydroxyl, carbonyl, an d carboxylic acid functional groups. Under these conditions, ammonia w as the major end product for the amine nitrogen.