DELAY IN FRUCTOSE-MEDIATED RENATURALIZATION PROCESS FOR IRRADIATED TRIPLE-HELIX GELATIN CHAINS IN AQUEOUS MEDIUM

Abstract

The  triple-helix  denaturalization  in  gelatin  as  a  result  of  its  interaction  with  ionizing  radiation  and  evolution  of renaturalization  process  were  studied  in  a hydrated  mixture  of  250  Bloom  type  B  gelatin,  fructose  and tridistilled  water (gelatin + fructose), which was irradiated with X-rays produced by a clinical linear accelerator with an operating potential of 6 MV in order to deliver a dose between 30 and 300 Gy. Irradiated and non-irradiated samples were analyzed with the use  of  mass  spectroscopy  and  magnetic  resonance  imaging  (MRI)  with  diffusion  techniques.  The  mass  spectroscopy results  indicate  that  no  formation  of  new  compounds  took  place  for  delivered  doses.  With  diffusion  techniques  in  a magnetic resonance 1.5 T scanner a follow-up of macroscopic changes in gelatin + fructose mixture could be done as they correspond  to  a  triple-helix  denaturalization  followed  by  its  incomplete  renaturalization,  which  is  an  indication  that changes  in  the  material  porous  structure  at  microscopic  level  happened  with  a  renaturalization  half  life  time  of 12.46 ± 0.15 h.