Mössbauer effect study of gamma-irradiated human oxyhemoglobin

Abstract

Preliminary results of the Mössbauer effect study of human adult oxyhemoglobin in erythrocytes exposed to gamma-irradiation with doses of approximately 100, approximately 300 and approximately 600 kGy are presented. Mössbauer spectra measured at 87 K have been analyzed in two ways. At first, to fit these spectra we used the four components oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin, hemochromes and non-heme Fe(III) compound which had been obtained earlier from Mössbauer spectra of X-irradiated oxyhemoglobin by Chevalier et al. (1983). However, this approximation was not satisfactory. Then a new model of spectral fitting with five components was used. These were oxyhemoglobin, deoxyhemoglobin and components marked 1, 2 and 3. Using Mössbauer hyperfine parameters of each component the valence/spin states of iron ions were determined and possible complexes were considered. The most probable compounds for components 1, 2 and 3 were hematin and/or mu-oxodimers, methemoglobin hydroxide and/or hemichromes, and the high spin Fe(III) complex, respectively. Changes of the relative areas of Mössbauer subspectra of all components (its content in samples) versus doses were evaluated and the presence of the high and low spin aquomethemoglobin was indicated.