EFFECTS OF CU2-SOLUBLE TERNARY POLYACRYLIC ACID-CU2+-PROTEIN COMPLEXES AGAINST RADIATION-DAMAGE( ON STABILITY AND COMPOSITION OF WATER)

The formation of water soluble ternary complexes of polyacrylic acid ( PAA) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) in the presence of divalent copper ions was investigated at the neutral pH. Aqueous solutions of PAA, BS A, and their mixture (PAA-BSA, PAA-Cu2+-BSA) have been irradiated with Co-60 gamma-rays and the changes occurred have been measured by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and spectrophotometry. Additi on of Cu2+ ions to PAA-BSA mixture have been shown to protect the PAA and BSA components of ternary PAA-Cu2+-BSA complexes against radiation damage. A structural model of ternary polycomplexes was proposed and the mechanism of observed protection effect was discussed.