The Inactivation of Bacteriophages by X-Rays—Influence of the Medium

Abstract

X-rays have an "indirect" effect in water or saline suspensions of bacteriophages. Probably some agent is produced in the medium by the irradiation which oxidizes or reduces the phages. In the presence of foreign proteins bacteriophages are also inactivated by x-rays, but with reduced sensitivity. This seems to be a "direct" effect on phage itself.