Effect of calcium concentration on textural properties of high and low acyl mixed gellan gels

Textural properties of 1% low and high acyl gellan gels and their mixtures were studied using compression tests and the microcentrifuge-microfiltration based water holding capacity (WHC) method. Low acyl (1% LA), high acyl (1% HA) gels and mixtures of 1% 25/75 LA/HA, 50/50 LA/HA, 75/25 LA/HA gels with calcium concentrations ranging from 2 to 80 mM were studied. HA or mixed gels with a lower LA/HA ratio had a greater WHC and failure strain than that of LA or mixed gels with a higher LA/HA ratio. Gellan gels with a higher LA/HA ratio had a larger initial Young's modulus. Our study also indicates that a higher LA/HA ratio does not necessarily result in a gel with a larger failure stress, although LA gels are generally firmer than HA gels. Gel strength and WHC of HA and LA/HA mixtures may reflect both stabilization and destabilization effects of glycerate groups positioned at one of the glucose residues in each repeating tetrasaccharide unit of HA gels.     

Water holding capacity and microstructure of gellan gels

This project studied the water holding capacity of gellan gels as affected by gel composition and microstructure. When not subjected to external forces such as centrifugal force, gellan gel properties including water holding capacity and texture properties were stable at room temperatures. The water losses from gellan gels after four months storage at 4°C were only 1–2%, independent of calcium concentrations. The freeze–thaw stability of gellan gels was poor. Water holding capacity of gellan gels, when subjected to centrifugal forces, was dependent on calcium concentrations, and was related to the texture properties. Two discrete pore-size distributions in gel matrix on the order of 0.1 and 1 μ were observed with scanning electronic microscopy. Large pores were formed with thick strings while the small ones were formed by a thin web structure. Defects in the large pore structure were observed at high calcium concentrations. The small pores may be responsible for the water holding capacity during storage, while large pore structures provide the strength of gels.     

Effects of Partial Replacement of Gelatin in High Sugar Gels with Gellan on their Textural,Rhelogical, and Thermal Properties

Effects of partial replacement of gelatin in simulated gummy confections with either high acyl or deacylated gellan on their textural, rheological, and thermal properties were investigated. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) images of high acyl and deacylated gellan revealed that both gellan types formed finely stranded networks as a result from air-drying of dilute aqueous solutions, the strand thickness of which was approximately 0.5–1 nm. Simulated gummy confections containing 5.025–7.1 % w/w gelatin, 0–0.075 % w/w high acyl or deacylated gellan, and 73–75 % w/w corn syrup and sucrose combined were prepared and analyzed using texture profile analysis (TPA) and small amplitude oscillatory shear measurements. The principal component analysis (PCA) of textural attributes obtained from TPA identified a cluster in the first quadrant formed by samples containing 7.1 % w/w gelatin but no gellan and those containing 6.025 % w/w gelatin and 0.075 % w/w high acyl or deacylated gellan. All simulated gummy confections showed storage modulus (G′) values greater than loss modulus (G″) values at 0.1 rad/s, G″ increasing more steeply with increasing angular frequency, and G′-G″ crossovers within the examined angular frequency range (0.1–100 rad/s), typical of high solid biopolymer gels. Furthermore, increasing gellan concentration at a total concentration of the gelling agents (i.e., gelatin and gellan) of 6.1 % w/w increased the melting temperature. These results attest the feasibility of improving the heat stability of gummy confections by the partial replacement of gelatin with either high acyl or deacylated gellan with maintaining textures characteristics of gummy confections containing gelatin as the only gelling agent.     

A laser light scattering study of gellan gels

A study of gellan has been made using the technique of photon correlation spectroscopy. It has been confirmed that gellan gels are largely stationary at a molecular level like other polysaccharide gels and quite unlike the gels of flexible polymers such as polyacrylamide. Solution-gel transitions of deacetylated gellan in 0.025MNaCl have been studied both as a function of concentration and temperature, and the results compared with those of a parallel investigation of agarose. The interstitial spaces within gellan gels have also been studied by measuring the diffusion coefficients of dextran fractions within the gels. Since all gels are nonergodic systems, the theory of dynamic light scattering from such systems is discussed insofar as it affects the present work. It has been shown that the gellan and agarose aqueous systems are fundamentally different, in that agarose does not from a solution at very low concentrations, but splits up into macroscopic gel particles. At very low concentrations, gellan forms a solution in the presence of both gelleing and nongelling ions, the molecules of which shows little change in hydrodynamic diameter with temperature in the range 20–80°C. At higher concentrations where gels are formed, both gellan and agarose exhibit hystersis in their tempertature transitions from gel to solution and solution to gel, the solution being of large molecular aggregates. The transitions are sharp, but in both cases ther is a continous rearrangement in the structural morphology over the entire temperature range on heating, rendering the system more homogeneous prior to dissociation. In the case of gellan, however, there are two distincit phases in these structural changes—this is not true of agarose. The mean mass per unit length of the gellan fibre in the presence of 0.025M NaCl is 19 k daltons/nm at 0.7% concentration and varies with concentration to the power 0.15. The mass per unit length of the agarose fibre is much larger (ca. 110 k Daltons/nm), this difference being consistent with the difference in properties at very low concentrations. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Structures and Properties of Gellan Polymers Produced by Sphingomonas paucimobilis ATCC 31461 from Lactose Compared with Those Produced from Glucose and from Cheese Whey

The dairy industry produces large quantities of whey as a by-product of cheese production and is increasingly looking for new ways to utilize this waste product. Gellan gum is reliably produced by Sphingomonas paucimobilis in growth media containing lactose, a significant component of cheese whey, as a carbon source. We studied and compared polysaccharide biosynthesis by S. paucimobilis ATCC 31461 in media containing glucose, lactose (5 to 30 g/liter), and sweet cheese whey. We found that altering the growth medium can markedly affect the polysaccharide yield, acyl substitution level, polymer rheological properties, and susceptibility to degradation. Depression of gellan production from lactose compared with gellan production from glucose (approximately 30%) did not appear to occur at the level of synthesis of sugar nucleotides, which are the donors of monomers used for biosynthesis of the repetitive tetrasaccharide unit of gellan. The lactose-derived biopolymer had the highest total acyl content; the glucose- and whey-derived gellans had similar total acyl contents but differed markedly in their acetate and glycerate levels. Rheological studies revealed how the functionality of a gellan polysaccharide is affected by changes in the acyl substitution.     

Interpenetrating network formation in agarose–sodium gellan gel composites

Aqueous cold-set gels from mixtures of agarose and sodium gellan have been characterised structurally and mechanically using optical and electron microscopy, turbidity measurements, differential scanning calorimetry, mechanical spectroscopy and compression testing. Consistent with expectations for charged–uncharged polymer combinations at low ionic strength there is no liquid–liquid demixing in sols prior to gelation, and although transmission electron microscopy reveals heterogeneities in gel microstructures at the higher polymer concentrations, these are small in extent, and are unlikely to arise from normal segregative demixing. Overall, ‘molecularly’ interpenetrating networks (IPNs) are indicated, in which the gellan and agarose architectures pass through one another on a distance scale comparable to their pore sizes. At concentrations greater than 2% w/w gellan, where gellan is the first gelling species, and when the agarose concentration is greater than 0.5% w/w, the composite modulus falls below that expected for the agarose alone. At 0.5% w/w agarose, on the other hand, modulus contributions from the components are much closer to additive. These findings are reflected in the results of large deformation compression testing where breaking stresses show similar trends.     

Influence of Low Acyl and High Acyl Gellan Gums on Pasting and Rheological Properties of Rice Starch Gel

The pasting, viscoelastic, morphological and retrogradation properties of rice starch as affected by low acyl (LA) and high acyl (HA) gellan gums were studied. The additions of both LA and HA gums increased the peak and trough viscosities, while decreased the final and setback viscosities of rice starch paste. The starch-HA mixed pastes exhibited superior viscoelastic properties to the starch-LA pastes as evidenced by their higher storage modulus and lower loss tangent values. The starch-HA system exhibited higher resistance to the stress and more pronounced recovery rate in in-shear structural recovery test. The creep recovery data were well fitted by a 4-element Burger’s model. The shrinkage measurements showed that the addition of both hydrocolloids, especially the HA gellan gum retarded the retrogradation of rice starch gel during cold storage. It was concluded that the addition of LA and HA gellan gums modified the rheology and textural properties of rice starch gel in different ways and interacted under different mechanisms based on their molecular structures.     

预热处理金针菇蛋白对猪肉肌原纤维蛋白凝胶特性的影响

本文研究预热处理（preheat treatment,PT）金针菇蛋白（Flammulina filiformis protein,FFP）对肌原纤维蛋白（myofibrillar protein,MP）凝胶特性的影响。试验将FFP在65、75、85和95℃下分别预热处理30、60、90和120min,以蛋白溶解度、总巯基含量和表面疏水性为指标,确定FFP预热处理的最佳温度与时间;将预热处理的FFP（PT-FFP）与MP以不同的比例（0:10、1:9、2:8、3:7、4:6,M/M）混合制备复合凝胶（总蛋白质量浓度均为40mg/mL）,以凝胶强度、持水性、流变学特性与微观结构为指标,考察PT-FFP对MP凝胶特性的影响。结果表明,75℃预热处理60min,FFP的溶解度与表面疏水性最高,总巯基含量最低,故确定该预热处理条件为最佳;将该条件下制备的PT-FFP以不同比例与MP混合制备凝胶,结果发现PT-FFP比FFP更有利于复合凝胶的凝胶强度和持水性的提高（P<0.05）,特别是当PT-FFP与MP混合比例为1:9时,复合凝胶的凝胶强度和持水性达到最高值121.38g和85.25%;流变学结果也表明,PT-FFP能够提高复合凝胶的弹性模量Gʹ和损耗模量G″;电镜观察可以看出PT-FFP与MP复合的凝胶具有更强的连续性,结构更为致密。总之,经过75℃预热处理60min后的FFP和MP以1:9混合时能够改善肌原纤维蛋白凝胶特性和流变学特性。     

Gellan Hydrogels: Preparation,Rheological Characterization and Application in Encapsulation of Curcumin

Hydrogels can be used to protect some labile active principles, as polyphenol-rich substances, that can be added to foods to prepare functional ones. Rheological properties of gels formed through the addition of calcium chloride to gellan solutions were studied. It can be concluded that preparation variables and not only formulation ones are determinant in rheological properties of the resulting gels, as they are not in an equilibrium state but they are continuously evolving during hours to stronger gels corresponding to a denser network. It could be related to the fact that local non-gelled domains are formed surrounded by a shell of gel where Ca²⁺ ions take some time to arrive. A minimum Ca²⁺/gellan ratio (CG) is required to reach the gel point (GP), determined as the CG where the ratio loss modulus/elastic modulus (G”/G’) collapse for all frequencies. Calcium-induced external gelation of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsions where a curcumin-in-oil solution is the disperse phase and a watery solution of gellan is the continuous phase was used to prepare beads were curcumin is entrapped in order to prevent its degradation. Smaller droplet-sized emulsions were obtained with higher gellan concentrations, since a higher viscosity of the continuous phase allowed to reach the critical Capillary number Ca_C at lower radius of droplets. An encapsulation yield around 90% was reached for gellan concentrations of 1% w/v, and the resulting encapsulated curcumin presented around 6 times slower light degradation than free curcumin-in-oil solutions.

     

Effects of Potassium Chloride and Sodium Chloride on the Thermal Properties of Gellan Gum Gels

The exothermic and endothermic peaks in cooling and heating curves of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) for gellan gum gels without and with potassium chloride and sodium chloride were analyzed. The gelling and melting temperatures shifted to higher temperatures with increasing gellan and salt concentration in the concentration range of gellan from 0.3 to 2.0% (w/w). The exothermic and endothermic enthalpy increased with increasing gellan and salt concentrations. Cooling DSC curves showed one exothermic peak for samples with salts and at low gellan concentration. Heating DSC curves showed many peaks for all samples except 0.3% (w/w) gellan gum gels. The sol-gel transition of samples was examined numerically by using a zipper model approach. The introduction of cations increases the number of junction zones or zippers and decreases the rotational freedom of parallel links. This makes the structure of junction zones more heat resistant, and increases the elastic modulus of the gel.     

Direct visualization of changes in deacylated Na(+) gellan polymer morphology during the sol-gel transition

Changes in gellan polymer morphology during the sol-gel transition were directly visualized by transmission electron microscopy and a model incorporating these changes and existing physical data is proposed. Our observations suggest that the most thermodynamically stable conformations of gellan polymers in solution, in the absence of added cations, are the double helix and double-helical duplexes. We have demonstrated two forms of lateral aggregation of gellan helices in the presence of Ca(2+) and K(+) ions. One type forms junction zones that lead to network formation and gelation, while the second type leads to the formation of isolated fibers of aggregated helices and inhibition of gelation. The proposed model of gellan gelation is based on these observations where thermoreversibility, gel strength, and endothermic transitions of gellan gels can be explained.     

Response time and electrorheology of semidiluted gellan, xanthan and cellulose suspensions

Response times with electrical fields of gellan and xanthan dry powder suspensions of 25, 32 and 53 μm average diameter and concentrations of 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0% (w/w) dispersed in commercial corn oil were optically measured through a specifically designed set up. In all cases, the delay time was proportional to 1/E^a, where E is the applied field and a is an adjustable parameter. The values of parameter a were very different from the typical value of some known electrorheolgical fluids. Response time of gellan suspensions was shorter than the one obtained for xanthan and it is comparable to the time found by using silica particles in silicon oil. Response times for cellulose were very large and the fibrillation phenomenon was negligible for E<1.0 kv/mm.

Viscosity measurements of semidiluted xanthan, gellan and cellulose suspensions (1.0 and 1.5% w/w) under the influence of electrical fields, were performed in a parallel plates rheometer. Results in the range of stress <70 Pa showed that viscosity values of gellan suspensions were larger than those obtained with xanthan or cellulose under the same applied electric field at shear rates higher than 10 s⁻¹. However, cellulose suspensions showed larger viscosity values compared with the ones measured with xanthan and gellan suspensions at very low shear rates. Dielectric measurements of cellulose, xanthan and gellan 1.5% w/w suspensions were performed in the range 10⁰–8×10⁴ Hz. Results agree with a Maxwell–Wagner type relaxation model.     

Physical Properties and Chemical Composition of β-Glucans from Fleshy Fungi

Physical properties and chemical structure of two related polysaccharides produced fermentatively by Plectania occidentalis NRRL 3137 and by Helotium sp. NRRL 3129 were studied. Both polymers were readily recovered as amorphous gels by precipitation from culture liquors with two parts of ethyl alcohol or methanol. Dried polymeric material was redissolved in water with agitation to give uniform aqueous solutions up to about 1.5% by weight. The polymers were similar in physical properties but possessed different chemical structures. The viscosity of aqueous solutions of each polymer varied from about 50 centipoises at 0.1% to approximately 2,200 centipoises at 1.4% concentrations by weight. Highly viscous solutions at concentrations of 1% or greater behaved like thixotropic gels. Mono-, di-, and trivalent salts, except borate, did not affect viscosity of either polymer. The viscosities were slightly increased by the addition of borate. Autoclaving did not alter the physical properties of neutral polymer solutions. The polymers were stable in acid or alkaline solutions at moderate temperatures but degraded under extremes of pH at 70 C or above. Each polymer had a specific rotation of +20° in aqueous dimethylformamide (1:1). The results of acid hydrolysis and periodate oxidation, in conjunction with paper and gas chromatography, indicate that both polymers are branched glucans containing appreciable amounts of β-1,3 linkages.     

The Effects of a Hydrogel Polymer on the Growth of Certain Horticultural Crops under Saline Conditions

The effects of incorporating a hydrogel polymer into sand onthe development of selected horticultural plants grown undersaline conditions has been demonstrated. In separate experiments,the seeds of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), lettuce(Lactuca sativa L.) and cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) were germinatedin sand/swollen hydrogel polymer mixture (25: 75, v: v) withadded Hoagland nutrient solution. At cotyledon + first trueleaf stage, the plantlets were transplanted into polythene growbagscontaining a range of sand/swollen hydrogel polymer combinations(0: 100, 25: 75, 50: 50, 75: 25 and 100: 0, v: v). Saline solutionscontaining NaCl, CaCl² and MgCl² were prepared as molar solutionsand applied at combined concentrations as follows; Control (Hoagland),2000, 4000, 8000, and 32 000 ppm. Application of the appropriatesolution to the growbags was made twice per week, alternatingwith a comparable watering regime. Harvesting was carried outafter 14 and 28 d. Polymer incorporation encouraged growth ofall species under all saline conditions, the order of effectivenessof the polymer contents being as follows; 75%>50% 25% 100%>0%.At high salinity (32 000 ppm) plants of the test species werereduced in growth but appeared to be tolerant at all levelsof polymer incorporation; in pure sand the level of tolerancein tomato and cucumber was <8000 ppm and in lettuce <4000 ppm. Generally, dry weight, leaf area, succulence, chloroplastpigments (chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, and carotenoids), photosyntheticactivity, total amino acids, proline, and protein contents wereincreased with polymer incorporation compared with pure sand.This hydrogel polymer appears to be highly effective for useas a soil conditioner in horticulture, to improve crop toleranceand growth in a sand or light gravel substrate under salineconditions. It is intended to confirm the results of these studiesby field trials. Key words: Tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.), lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.), cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.), salinity, hydrogel, polymer, salt tolerance, growth, free amino acid, free proline, and protein     

Property of Fish Gelatin gel as Affected by the Incorporation of Gellan and Calcium Chloride

Properties of fish gelatin (FG) gel as affected by gellan (GL) at different levels (2.5–7.5% FG substitution) in combination with calcium chloride (CaCl₂) at various concentrations (3–9 mM) were studied. Gel strength and hardness of FG/GL mixed gel increased as the levels of GL increased (P < 0.05). Increasing CaCl₂ concentration also resulted in the increases in both gel strength and hardness of mixed gel when GL at the same level was incorporated (P < 0.05). Conversely, the increasing GL and CaCl₂ levels caused a decrease in springiness but an increase in syneresis of mixed gels (P < 0.05). Gelling and melting temperatures were increased in the mixed gel as levels of GL and CaCl₂ increased. L*- and b*-values of mixed gels decreased, whereas ?E*-value increased with increasing GL and CaCl₂ levels (P < 0.05). Microstructure studies revealed that denser structure with smaller voids in gel network was observed in the mixed gel in the presence of CaCl₂ at higher levels. However, mixed gels incorporated with GL above 5%, regardless of CaCl₂ levels, yielded the lower likeness score than FG gel (control) (P < 0.05). The addition of GL at low level (2.5%) with CaCl₂ (up to 6 mM) had no adverse effect on sensory property of mixed gels but could improve gelling property of FG via increasing gel strength and gelling point.     

Rapid hamstring/quadriceps force capacity in male vs. female elite soccer players

Knee joint injuries are a serious issue in soccer. The ability to protect the knee from injury depends largely on the strength of the hamstring relatively to the quadriceps, that is, a low hamstring/quadriceps (H/Q) strength ratio is suggested as a risk factor. Although maximal muscle strength (MVC) has often been used to evaluate the H/Q ratio, the ability to rapidly develop force (rate of force development [RFD]) is more relevant in relation to fast dynamic movements. The aim of this study was to introduce and investigate a rapid RFD H/Q strength ratio compared with the traditional MVC H/Q strength ratio in elite soccer players. Twenty-three elite soccer players (11 women, 12 men) performed maximal voluntary static contraction for the hamstring and quadriceps in an isokinetic dynamometer, from which the maximal muscles strength (MVC) and RFD were extracted. Test-retest reliability for the RFD H/Q ratio was high (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.664-0.933). The initial contraction phase up to 50 milliseconds from the onset of contraction showed a low RFD H/Q ratio compared to the MVC H/Q ratio (p < 0.001). These results suggest a reduced potential for knee joint stabilization during the very initial phase of muscle contraction. Two female players-both with a markedly low RFD H/Q ratio, but a normal MVC H/Q ratio, compared with the group mean-sustained ACL rupture at a later occasion. The high reliability of the new RFD H/Q strength ratio indicates that the method is a relevant tool in standardized clinical evaluation of the knee joint agonist-antagonist relationship.     

Fibre-diffraction studies of the extracellular polysaccharide from Pseudomonas elodea

X-ray fibre diffraction techniques have been used to probe the structure of the microbial polysaccharide from Pseudomonas clodca (gellan gum). The polymer adopts a threefold helical structure with an axial repeat of 0.94 nm. The polymer form weak elastic thermoreversible gels and on deacetylation forms rigid brittle gels. Deacetylation has been shown to enhance crystallinity. Equatorial reflections index onto a trigonal unit cell (a=b=1.64 nm.     

Roots volatiles and fatty acids of coriander (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Coriandrum sativum</Emphasis> L.) grown in saline medium

An hydroponic culture was conducted to investigate the effect of saline stress on the essential oil and fatty acid composition of Tunisian coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.) roots. Ten days old coriander seedlings were treated during 3 weeks with different NaCl concentrations (0, 25, 50 and 75 mM). Roots volatile components and fatty acids were analyzed. The essential oil yield was 0.06% in the control, on the basis of dry matter weight, and did not changed at low concentration (25 mM), while it increased significantly with increasing NaCl concentrations to reach 0.12 and 0.21% at 50 and 75 mM NaCl, respectively. The major volatile component was (E)-2-dodecenal with 52% of total essential oil constituents, followed by decanal, dodecanal, (E)-2-tridecenal and (E)-2-dodecenal. Further, the amount of these compounds was affected differently by the NaCl level. Total fatty acid amount of coriander roots increased significantly only with 50 and 75 mM NaCl. Three major fatty acids: linoleic (43%), oleic (25.5%) and palmitic (21.6%) were identified. Linoleic acid amount remains unchanged at 25 mM, while it increased with raising NaCl concentrations. However, oleic acid amount decreased only at 25 mM and no effect was observed at 50 and 75 mM. Fatty acid percentages were differently affected by salt. The oleic/linoleic ratio was reduced with raising NaCl concentrations.     

Rheologic behavior of deoxyhemoglobin S gels

The physical properties of deoxyhemoglobin S gels formed from solutions at concentrations and temperatures approaching those in vivo have been characterized by stress relaxation using a rotational rheometer. Gels were annealed in the rheometer and then subjected to a constant shear strain; thereafter the stress sustained was followed with time. Gels with solid-like behavior held stress indefinitely, and were characterized by yield temperature (the temperature at which stress decreased). Gels with less solid behavior were unable to hold target stress, and were characterized by yield stress (maximum stress attained) and equilibrium stress (final stress held). The samples were ultracentrifuged to calculate pellet and polymer masses. The solidity of the gels, as measured by yield temperature or yield stress, was related to the initial hemoglobin concentration, pellet and polymer masses, shear history, temperature, and the temperature and time of annealing. Solidity increased significantly with time when gels were annealed at 37 degrees C, whereas, when annealed at 25 degrees C, no or minimal increases in solidity were noted. Studies suggest that polymerization occurs rapidly and is completed early in or before the gel annealing period and that the increase in solidity with time of annealing is mainly due to factors other than polymer mass, i.e. alignment, increasing bond strength, water loss. The chemical activity of deoxyhemoglobin S did not affect the solidity of the formed gels. When the resultant polymer masses were comparable, gels formed from samples with albumin present (higher initial total protein concentration, but lower initial deoxyhemoglobin S concentration), had the same behavior as gels formed from solutions with higher initial hemoglobin S concentration. These findings demonstrate that gel annealing conditions must be standardized when comparing the rheologic behaviors of deoxyhemoglobin S gels and indicate that the gel's physical properties (influenced by polymer mass, shear history, annealing time) must be considered in understanding pathophysiology of sickling disorders.     

Spin Trapping of Methyl Radicals by the Acyl Nitroso Compound PH-C (= O)NO Formed in the Photochemical Reaction Between Benzohydroxamic Acid, Dimethyl Sulfoxide and Hydrogen Peroxide. An Epr Study

By the use of EPR spectroscopy, it has been shown that acyl nitroso compounds can act as spin traps for short-lived radicals with the formation of acyl aminoxyl radicals. The reaction was studied for the system benzohydroxamicacid[Ph-C (= O)N(H)] - dimethyl sulfoxide - hydrogen peroxide. The acyl aminoxyl radicals appeared almost immediately when the reaction mixture was irradiated in situ in the EPR cavity with UV light. The trapping reaction involved two photochemical reactions, i.e. the oxidation of the hydroxamic acid to the acyl nitroso compound Ph-C (= O)NO, and the formation of methyl radicals from dimethyl sulfoxide. The EPR spectra are superpositions of the spectra of two species of acyl aminoxyl radicals, i.e. the radicals Ph-C (= O)N(O·)H formed by oxidation of the parent benzohydrox-amic acid, and the radical Ph-C (= O)N(O·)CH₃, formed by trapping of methyl radicals.