- Reports regarding the oxidation of proteins are rather meagre since the reactions are very complex. Oxidizing agents may attack proteins in three possible points
- At the N-terminal residues
- At the peptide bonds of adjacent amino groups.
Hydrogen peroxide is absorbed by silk and is thought to form complexes with amino acid groups and peptide bonds. It has been demonstrated that hydrogen peroxide diminishes the tyrosine content and further that the peptide bonds are broken at the tryosine residues. Peracetic acid causes more rapid scission and produces more acid groups than peroxide.