Multifrequency EPR study on radiation induced centers in calcium carbonates labeled with 13C

In calcite and aragonite, γ-irradiated at 77 K, several paramagnetic centers were generated and detected by EPR spectroscopy; in calcite, CO3 – (orthorhombic symmetry, bulk and bonded to surface), CO3 3–, NO3 2–, O3 –, and in aragonite CO2 – (isotropic and orthorhombic symmetry) depending on the type of calcium carbonate used. For calcium carbonates enriched with 13C more detailed information about the formed radicals was possible to be obtained. In both natural (white coral) and synthetic aragonite the same radicals were identifi ed with main differences in the properties of CO2 – radicals. An application of Q-band EPR allowed to avoid the signals overlap giving the characteristics of radical anisotropy.