Effects of x-irradiated aqueous solutions on vesicular stomatitis virus.

Infectivity of vesicular stomatitis virus was inactivated by suspending the virus in aqueous salt solutions that had previously been subjected to X-irradiation. This viral inactivation did not appear to be attributable to hydrogen peroxide or to long-lived free radicals generated by X-irradiation of the salt solutions. Indirect evidence suggested that the deleterious effects on the virus were caused by chemical species resulting from interaction of free water molecules with anions in the solution. Inactivation of infectivity was associated with distortion of the outer layer of the virion, as determined by electron microscopy, and with consequent impairment of adsorption to otherwise susceptible cells.