Carbonate anions; effects on the oxidation of luminol, oxidative hemolysis, gamma-irradiation and the reaction of activated oxygen species with enzymes containing various active centres.

Presence of carbonate anions increases the oxidation of luminol in different chemical systems. Lysis of human erythrocytes due to the action of dihydroxyfumaric acid or of perborate is also stimulated by carbonate ions. These anions also change considerably the loss of activity of different enzymes treated with superoxide, hydroxyl or formate radicals and can increase or decrease the effect as a function of the nature of the active centre of the enzyme. The relative effects of superoxide, hydroxyl, formate and carbonate radicals for the inactivation of various enzymes (superoxide dismutases, catalase, ribonuclease, glucose oxidase and glutathione peroxidase) have been examined. Three systems were used: gamma-irradiation under different conditions, photoproduction of radicals and sonication. Inactivation of the enzymes is a function not only of the radical used but also of the nature of the active site. Thus glutathione peroxidase is remarkably resistant to hydroxyl radicals while the superoxide dismutases are rapidly inactivated by carbonate radicals. All of the results combine to show that the presence or absence of carbonate anions must be considered in all studies of oxygen containing free radicals whether chemical, biochemical or biological or high energy irradiation.