The liberation of hydrogen sulphide by X-radiation from cysteine and glutathione

Abstract
Solutions of cysteine (I), cystine (n) and glutathione(III) in sealed tubes were exposed to 500 kV radiations and the production of H2S determined. The production was independent of O2, and added H2O2 equivalent to that produced by radiation gave less than 2% of the H2S yield. Yield of IV increased with increase of I up to a max. similar to the yield of NH3 from amino acids. The optimum pH for H2S liberated is about 6. II yielded little H2S (due to insolubility near neutrality). III gave liberation of H2S similar to that of I.