biomolecules Article On the Liquid Chemistry of the Reactive Nitrogen Species Peroxynitrite and Nitrogen Dioxide Generated by Physical Plasmas Giuliana Bruno 1, Sebastian Wenske 1, Jan-Wilm Lackmann 2, Michael Lalk 3 , Thomas von Woedtke 4 and Kristian Wende 1,* 1 Centre for Innovation Competence (ZIK) Plasmatis, Leibniz Institute for Plasma Science and Technology (INP Greifswald), 17489 Greifswald, Germany;
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[email protected] (S.W.) 2 Cluster of Excellence Cellular Stress Responses in Aging-Associated Diseases, University of Cologne, 50931 Cologne, Germany;
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[email protected] Received: 9 November 2020; Accepted: 9 December 2020; Published: 16 December 2020 Abstract: Cold physical plasmas modulate cellular redox signaling processes, leading to the evolution of a number of clinical applications in recent years. They are a source of small reactive species, including reactive nitrogen species (RNS). Wound healing is a major application and, as its physiology involves RNS signaling, a correlation between clinical effectiveness and the activity of plasma-derived RNS seems evident. To investigate the type and reactivity of plasma-derived RNS in aqueous systems, a model with tyrosine as a tracer was utilized. By high-resolution mass spectrometry, 26 different tyrosine derivatives including the physiologic nitrotyrosine were identified. The product pattern was distinctive in terms of plasma parameters, especially gas phase composition. By scavenger experiments and isotopic labelling, gaseous nitric dioxide radicals and liquid phase peroxynitrite ions were determined as dominant RNS.