Abstract
Gas-phase radicals from the combustion of various materials have been studied using the electron spin resonance (ESR) spin-trapping technique.
As a result, apparently long-lived and highly reactive oxygen-centered radicals have been detected in the smoke from polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polymethylmethacrylate, cellulose, kerosene, benzene, acetone, methanol and butylalcohol.
As the radicals can also be detected in the system not containing a nitrogen component to produce NOx by oxidation, it is suggested that the production mechanism for the radicals should be different from that for the radicals from cigarette smoke.