Effect of gamma radiation and accelerated electron beam on stable paramagnetic centers induction in bone mineral: influence of dose, irradiation temperature and bone defatting.

Ionizing radiation has been found to induce stable defects in the crystalline lattice of bone mineral hydroxyapatite, defined as CO(2) (-) radical ions possessing spins. The purpose of our study was to evaluate CO(2) (-) radical ions induced in non-defatted or defatted human compact bone by gamma radiation (G) and accelerated electron beam (EB), applied with two doses at different temperatures. Moreover, the potential effect of free radical ion formation on mechanical parameters of compact bone, tested under compression in the previous studies, was evaluated. Bone rings from femoral shafts of six male donors (age 51 ± 3 years) were collected and assigned to sixteen experimental groups according to different processing methods (non-defatted or defatted), G and EB irradiation dose (25 or 35 kGy), and irradiation temperature [ambient temperature (AT) or dry ice (DI)]. Untreated group served as control. Following grinding under LN2 and lyophilization, CO(2) (-) radical ions in bone powder were measured by electron paramagnetic resonance spectrometry. We have found that irradiation of bone with G and EB induces formation of enormous amounts of CO(2) (-) radical ions, absent from native tissue. Free radical ion formation was dose-dependent when irradiation was performed at AT, and significantly lower in EB as compared to G-irradiated groups. In contrast, no marked effect of dose was observed when deep-frozen (DI) bone samples were irradiated with G or EB, and free radical ion numbers seemed to be slightly higher in EB-irradiated groups. Irradiation at AT induced much higher quantities of CO(2) (-) radical ions then on DI. That effect was more pronounced in G-irradiated bone specimens, probably due to longer exposure time. Similarly, bone defatting protective effect on free radical ion formation was found only in groups irradiated for several hours with gamma radiation at ambient temperature. Ambient irradiation temperature together with exposure time seem to be key parameters promoting CO(2) (-) radical ion formation in bone mineral and may mask the opposite effect of defatting and the possible effect of irradiation type. Significant weak negative correlations between CO(2) (-) radical ion number and some mechanical properties of compact bone rings (Young's modulus and ultimate stress) were found.