radikalfångning

Radikalfångning refers to a chemical process where free radicals are neutralized. Free radicals are highly reactive molecules with an unpaired electron, making them unstable and prone to causing damage to other molecules. This damage can contribute to various processes, including aging and the development of diseases.

The process of radikalfångning typically involves a substance that can donate an electron to the free radical, thereby stabilizing it. Antioxidants are a common class of compounds that act as radical scavengers. When an antioxidant encounters a free radical, it readily donates an electron, neutralizing the radical and preventing it from initiating a chain reaction of molecular damage. The antioxidant itself may become a radical, but it is often a more stable radical that does not cause further harm or can be regenerated.

This mechanism is crucial in biological systems for protecting cells from oxidative stress. Oxidative stress occurs when the production of free radicals overwhelms the body's antioxidant defenses. Radikalfångning by endogenous (produced by the body) or exogenous (from diet) antioxidants helps to mitigate this damage. In industrial chemistry, radikalfångning is also employed to control or prevent unwanted radical reactions, such as in polymerization processes or the degradation of materials. Understanding and controlling free radical reactions through radikalfångning is therefore important in both biological and chemical contexts.