On the geminate recombination of UV - and γ-produced electrons in a polar glass at 77 k

An ethylene glycol/water glass containing the chromophore L-tryptophan and the electron scavenger CCl₃COONa was exposed to 254 and 310 nm UV light and to γ-rays and studied by ESR methods. The total yield of radicals per absorbed quantum of radiation increases with increasing scavenger concentration. This increase is attributed to the ability of the scavenger to prevent electrons from recombining with their parent cation. The recombination probability of ejected elec- trons was estimated to 0.8 in the case of UV-induced ionization and 0.4 in the case of γ-induced ionization.