In his Ph.D. project, Sverre Løyland combines experimental work and computation in his research on reactive oxygen species (ROS). By using powerful ultrasound on aqueous systems, water is homolytically cleaved to yield HO• radicals (a type of ROS) that oxidize dissolved compounds, and the reaction products are analyzed using liquid chromatography (LC) and mass spectrometry (MS). The reaction mechanisms are also investigated by quantum chemical modeling and the results compared with experiments. Sverre was recently interviewed about his research by Apollon.
Sverre's research is important for understanding the reactivity of ROS, which are ubiquitous to degradation processes in nature. ROS are present and responsible for breakdown of compounds in the atmosphere, waters and in vivo, from metabolism to oxidative stress and DNA damage.