Exposure of amino acids, peptides and proteins to radicals in the presence of O2 generates hydroperoxides in a dose-dependent manner. These hydroperoxides are stable in the absence of exogenous catalysts (e.g. heat, light, redox-active transition metal ions), but decompose rapidly in the presence of these agents to give a variety of radicals including alkoxyl (RO*), peroxyl (ROO*) and carbon-centred (R) species. These radicals are shown to react with DNA to give DNA-protein cross-links and single strand breaks.