Monte Carlo simulation of microscopic DNA damage by 30 keV electrons using Geant4-DNA

The interaction of ionizing radiations with living tissues could result in simple and complex single- and double-strand breaks in the cell DNAs, due to the physical and chemical processes that such radiations initiate. Monte Carlo simulation of the interaction between radiations and DNA renders valuable information about damage types, which can be very useful in cancer therapy and radiation protection. In this study, in order to calculate the initial DNA damage caused by the primary electron beam and the produced secondary particles, Geant4-DNA has been employed to simulate the physical, physico-chemical, and chemical interactions. Using the simulation results for the direct electron interactions and indirect hydroxyl radical reactions with the DNA, the probability of different types of breaks in the cell DNAs as well as the distribution of the breaks as a function of the deposited energy have been investigated.