Oxygen scavengers independent of transition metal catalysts

A method of lowering the concentration of ground state molecular oxygen present in an atmosphere or liquid, said method comprising the steps of:

• (i) irradiating a solid phase composition comprising a source of labile hydrogen or electrons and at least one organic polymer, copolymer or oligomer bearing a reducible substituent(s) selected from the group consisting of substituted or unsubstituted benzoquinone, 9,10-anthraquinone, and 1,4-naphthoquinone, with visible or ultraviolet light of a predetermined intensity or wavelength, .gamma.-rays, corona discharge or an electron beam so as to reduce the reducible substituent(s) to a stable reduced substituent(s) oxidizable by ground state molecular oxygen;
• and
• (ii) exposing the atmosphere or liquid in substantial darkness to said irradiated solid phase composition such that the amount of ground state molecular oxygen present in the atmosphere or liquid is lowered through oxidation of the reduced stable substituent(s);
• wherein the oxidation of the reduced stable form of the reducible substituent(s) occurs regardless of the presence of a transition metal catalyst and wherein the lowering of the amount of ground state molecular oxygen continues over a period of at least 1 hour when conducted at room temperature.