Determination of the rate constant for the reaction of hydroxyl and oxide radicals with cysteine in aqueous solution.

The techniques of pulse radiolysis and absorption spectroscopy have been used to determine absolute rate constants for the reaction of hydroxyl and oxide radicals with cysteine (CysS) species in aqueous solution. Using measured equilibrium constants for radical disulfide anion formation, over the pH range 6.0-13.0, observed reaction rate constants were resolved into their constituent reactions .OH + CysSH-->H2O + CysS. and .O(-) + CysS-( + H2O)-->CysS. + 2OH- with calculated limiting rate constants of (5.35 +/- 0.82) x 10(9) and (3.28 +/- 0.49) x 10(8) dm3 mol-1 s-1, respectively. The rate constant for hydroxyl radical reaction with CysS- was found to be the same as that for CysSH.