Radiation Decomposition of Aqueous Nitrite Solution Containing Mercuric Salts

Aqueous sodium nitrite solutions containing mercuric salts give mercurous salts when irradiated with Co60 γ rays. The G value of mercurous salt attains to such a high value over a wide range of solute concentration that the accepted radical yields cannot account for. In order to settle the apparent contradiction it is suggested that in a spur several excited water molecules may be produced and that they can react with nitrite ions to form excited complexes which can reduce mercuric into mercurous salt.