OXIDATION OF HAEMOGLOBIN BY P-QUINONE

Abstract

The oxidation mechanism of human haemoglobin by p-quinone was investigated in aerobic and anaerobic states. In anaerobic state, in which all haemoglobin molecules were in reduced form, the oxidation took place according to the following reaction formula, Hb+2 p-quinone+4H2O → Hb(OH)4+2 hydroquinone
In aerobic state, at the initial stage of the reaction the same reaction as that in anaerobic state may occur, but in the later stage many reactions, of which a further investigation is awaited, are supposed to occur simultaneously.