The decay of electron bubbles due to a tunneling ion recombination was studied by ESR in gamma-ray irradiated solid para-hydrogen (p-H-2)-ortho-hydrogen (o-H-2) mixtures at 4.2 K. In the range of 10-75% o-H-2 (region I), the decay rates of the electron bubbles increase with decreasing o-H-2 concentration. The decay rate constant shows the maximum around 10% o-H-2. Then, the decay rates decrease with decreasing o-H-2 concentration below 10% o-H-2 (region II). The results were interpreted by two different rate-determining steps: a tunneling process in region I and an energy-dissipation process in region II. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.