Partitioning of selected antioxidants in mayonnaise

Effect of Vinegar on the Oxidative Stability of Mayonnaise During its Storage

Mayonnaise is an emulsion of oil that is susceptible to lipid oxidation, which can cause spoilage and the formation of harmful compounds. This study aims to evaluate the impact of Syrian apple and grape vinegar on the oxidative stability of mayonnaise and compare the use of natural antioxidants to synthetic ones such as butylated hydroxyanisole and butylated hydroxytoluene. The study measured total phenol content, radical scavenging activity, and identified some phenolic compounds by High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC). The rancidity of mayonnaise was examined using peroxide value and thiobarbituric acid number. The fatty acids content in the mayonnaise samples was examined using gas chromatography. Vinegar samples containing high concentrations of phenolic antioxidants showed high ability to scavenge free radicals. The antioxidants in vinegar protected the mayonnaise samples from primary and secondary oxidation, and there was no statistically significant difference between the ratio of unsaturated fatty acids in the samples containing vinegar at the beginning and at the end of the storage period. The study shows the significance of using vinegar to protect mayonnaise from deterioration and increase its shelf life, in addition to its role as a dressing.

Analysis of the Efficiency of Antioxidants in Inhibiting Lipid Oxidation in Terms of Characteristic Kinetic Parameters

In this work, we aim to find physical evidence demonstrating the crucial role that the effective concentration of antioxidants (AOs) present at the interfacial region of emulsions has in controlling the inhibition of the lipid oxidation reaction. We prepared a series of antioxidants of different hydrophobicities derived from chlorogenic and protocatechuic acids. We first monitored, in intact emulsions, the (sigmoidal) production of conjugated dienes and determined the corresponding induction times, tind. Independently, we determined the effective concentrations of the antioxidants in the same intact emulsions. Results show that both the length of the induction periods and the antioxidant interfacial concentrations parallel each other, with a maximum at the octyl-dodecyl derivatives. The ratio between the interfacial antioxidant concentrations and the induction periods remains constant for all AOs in the same series, so that the rates of initiation of lipid oxidation are the same regardless of the hydrophobicity of the antioxidant employed. The constancy in the rate of initiation provides strong experimental evidence for a direct relationship between interfacial concentrations and antioxidant efficiencies. Results suggest new possibilities to investigate lipid peroxidation under non-forced conditions and are of interest to formulators interested in preparing emulsions with antimicrobial properties.

New Insights into the Loss of Antioxidant Effectiveness of Phenolic Compounds in Vegetable Oils in the Presence of Phosphatidylcholine

It has been proposed that lipid oxidation reactions in edible oils primarily occur in reverse micelles (RM) of amphiphilic components. While the prooxidative effect of RM has been demonstrated, the mechanism involved is not fully understood. Both reductions and enhancements in the antioxidant efficacy (AE) of α-tocopherol and Trolox have been observed in different studies when phosphatidylcholine (PC) was added and PC RM were formed. However, most of these investigations employed lipid systems consisting of stripped vegetable oil diluted in saturated medium-chain triacylglycerols (MCT) and utilized antioxidant concentrations well below those found in edible oils. These two specific factors were investigated in the present study. The effect of RM of purified egg yolk PC on the AE of 1.16 mmol kg-1 α-tocopherol or Trolox in stripped sunflower oil (SSO) was studied by the Rancimat (100 °C) and oven (50 °C) tests. Increasing PC concentrations (50-1000 ppm) had no significant impact on α-tocopherol, but substantial reductions in AE were observed for Trolox. This phenomenon may be attributed to the partitioning of Trolox into the pre-existing PC micelles, suggesting that primary oxidation reactions occurred in the continuous lipid phase. In addition, the effectiveness of both antioxidants decreased significantly in the presence of PC when a low antioxidant concentration (0.06 mmol kg-1) was assayed in SSO:MCT (1:3, w/w).

The use of confocal Raman microscopy and microfluidic channels to monitor the location and mobility of β-carotene incorporated in droplet-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions

This study sought to explore the combined use of confocal Raman microscopy and microfluidic channels to probe the location and mobility of hydrophobic antioxidant (β-carotene) incorporated at the interface of food-grade droplet-stabilized emulsions (DSEs). Microfluidic channels were used to isolate emulsion droplets for efficient investigation of antioxidant mobility. This approach proved more conclusive than fixing the sample in agarose, because a single layer of droplets could be obtained. Results also indicated that the migration of β-carotene incorporated in shell droplets of olive oil and trimyristin DSEs to core droplets was minimal and beta-carotene remained mostly localised at the interface even after 3 days of production. This work demonstrates that microfluidic isolation of emulsion droplets combined with confocal Raman microscopy can give new insights into the spatial variation of chemical composition within emulsions. This study revealed that the migration of β-carotene between shell and core was minimal and hence it may be possible to concurrently deliver two incompatible compounds by spatially segregating them between shell and core compartments of DSEs.

Distributions of α- and δ-TOCopherol in Intact Olive and Soybean Oil-in-Water Emulsions at Various Acidities: A Test of the Sensitivity of the Pseudophase Kinetic Model

During the last years, the formalism of the pseudophase kinetic model (PKM) has been successfully applied to determine the distributions of antioxidants and their effective interfacial concentrations, and to assess the relative importance of emulsion and antioxidant properties (oil and surfactant nature, temperature, acidity, chemical structure, hydrophilic-liphophilic balance (HLB), etc.) on their efficiency in intact lipid-based emulsions. The PKM permits separating the contributions of the medium and of the concentration to the overall rate of the reaction. In this paper, we report the results of a specifically designed experiment to further test the suitability of the PKM to evaluate the distributions of antioxidants among the various regions of intact lipid-based emulsions and provide insights into their chemical reactivity in multiphasic systems. For this purpose, we employed the antioxidants α- and δ-TOCopherol (α- and δ-TOC, respectively) and determined, at different acidities well below their pKa, the interfacial rate constants k_I for the reaction between 16-ArN₂⁺ and α- and δ-TOC, and the antioxidant distributions in intact emulsions prepared with olive and soybean oils. Results show that the effective interfacial concentration of δ-TOC is higher than that of α-TOC in 1:9 (v/v) soybean and 1:9 olive oil emulsions. The effective interfacial concentrations of tocopherols are much higher (15-96-fold) than the stoichiometric concentrations, as the effective interfacial concentrations of both δ-TOC and α-TOC in soybean oil emulsions are higher (2-fold) than those in olive oil emulsions. Overall, the results demonstrate that the PKM grants an effective separation of the medium and concentration effects, demonstrating that the PKM constitutes a powerful non-destructive tool to determine antioxidant concentrations in intact emulsions and to assess the effects of various factors affecting them.

Advances in the control of lipid peroxidation in oil-in-water emulsions: kinetic approaches†

Large efforts have been, and still are, devoted to minimize the harmful effects of lipid peroxidation. Much of the early work focused in understanding both the lipid oxidation mechanisms and the action of antioxidants in bulk solution. However, food-grade oils are mostly present in the form of oil-in-water emulsions, bringing up an increasing complexity because of the three-dimensional interfacial region. This review presents an overview of the kinetic approaches employed in controlling the oxidative stability of edible oil-in-water emulsions and of the main outcomes, with particular emphasis on the role of antioxidants and on the kinetics of the inhibition reaction. Application of physical-organic chemistry methods, such as the pseudophase models to investigate antioxidant partitioning, constitute a remarkable example on how kinetic methodologies contribute to model chemical reactivity in multiphasic systems and to rationalize the role of interfaces, opening new opportunities for designing novel antioxidants with tailored properties and new prospects for modulating environmental conditions in attempting to optimize their efficiency. Here we will summarize the main kinetic features of the inhibition reaction and will discuss on the main factors affecting its rate, including the determination of antioxidant efficiencies from kinetic profiles, structure-reactivity relationships, partitioning of antioxidants and concentration effects.

Improving the Stability of Lycopene from Chemical Degradation in Model Beverage Emulsions: Impact of Hydrophilic Group Size of Emulsifier and Antioxidant Polarity

The chemical stability of the lipophilic bioactives encapsulated in emulsions can be influenced by emulsion droplet interfacial characteristics as well as by the ability of antioxidants incorporated in emulsion to prevent the degradation of the encapsulated compounds. Therefore, this study evaluated the effects of the interfacial characteristics of emulsions and the polarity of antioxidants on the storage stability of lycopene in emulsions. Emulsions with 5% (w/w) oil containing lycopene (30 µmol/kg emulsion) were prepared using a series of polyethylene glycol acyl ether-type emulsifiers through microfluidization. Change in lycopene content in emulsions was monitored by high performance liquid chromatography. Our findings show that the hydrophilic group size (or length) of emulsifiers and the emulsifier concentration at the interfacial film play a role, albeit minor, in controlling the storage stability of lycopene encapsulated in emulsions. Lipophilic (tert-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ)) and amphiphilic (lauryl gallate) antioxidants similarly improved the storage stability of lycopene in emulsions from acid- and radical-mediated degradation, independent of the characteristics of interfacial films of emulsions. However, TBHQ inhibited the degradation of lycopene in emulsions more effectively than lauryl gallate under conditions intended to accelerate the acid-mediated degradation of lycopene. Therefore, our findings can provide helpful information about what type of emulsifiers and antioxidants can be chosen for preparing food emulsions capable of maximizing the stability of lycopene encapsulated therein.

Effect of natural antioxidants on lipid oxidation in mayonnaise compared with BHA, the industry standard

INTRODUCTION

Mayonnaise is an oil in water emulsion (O/W) consisting 70-80% oil. Lipid oxidation is a major cause of quality deterioration in mayonnaise. The effectiveness of antioxidants in a hetrophasic systems is highly dependent on their polarity and partitioning properties.

OBJECTIVES

The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of a hydrophilic [green tea extract (GTE)] and a lipophilic [tocopherol mixture (TOC)] and BHA on lipid oxidation in mayonnaise during 60 days of storage at 38 °C and to examine the interactions between GTE and TOC, to determine possible synergistic or antagonistic effects in antioxidant activity.

METHODS

The oxidative stability was studied by measuring hydroperoxides, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and colour of mayonnaise during storage. Comprehensive analysis of VOCs was done by static headspace extraction and separation by two-dimensional gas chromatography time of flight mass spectrometry. Sensory analysis was also carried out to study the effect of storage time and antioxidant type on sensory properties of mayonnaise and to investigate the predictive ability of volatile compounds for sensory terms.

RESULTS AND CONCLUSION

Addition of GTE (500 ppm) and TOC (500 ppm) increased the formation of hydroperoxides and certain VOCs. The combination of GTE with TOC improved the antioxidant efficacy compared to the individual extracts. However, sensory evaluation demonstrated that GTE promoted the development of unpleasant fishy and rancid aroma. The volatile compound methional, was significantly and positively correlated with fishy and rancid flavour. Regarding colour analysis, GTE showed the highest increase in darkening and browning during storage.

In Situ Monitoring of Nanostructure Formation during the Digestion of Mayonnaise

Triglycerides in food products such as mayonnaise are a vital source of energy and essential for a complete and healthy diet. Their molecular structures consist of a glycerol backbone esterified with fatty acids on the two outer and the middle positions. During the digestion of triglycerides by pancreatic lipase in the small intestine, the ester bonds on the outer positions are hydrolyzed, leading to amphiphilic monoglycerides and free fatty acids as products. Depending on their chain length and degree of saturation, these products can self-assemble into a variety of structures in excess water. In this study, we report the discovery of highly ordered nanostructures inside of the mayonnaise emulsion droplets during in vitro digestion of mayonnaise under simulated in vivo conditions using time-resolved synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering. The formation of these structures is most likely linked to their function as a carrier and controlled release system for food nutrients, especially poorly water-soluble components, in the aqueous milieu of the digestive tract. This detailed understanding of nanostructure formation during the digestion of triglyceride-containing food products such as mayonnaise may have fundamental implications for the development of foods with improved nutritional and functional properties.

Maxima in antioxidant distributions and efficiencies with increasing hydrophobicity of gallic acid and its alkyl esters. The pseudophase model interpretation of the "cutoff effect"

Antioxidant (AO) efficiencies are reported to go through maxima with increasing chain length (hydrophobicity) in emulsions. The so-called "cutoff" after the maxima, indicating a decrease in efficiency, remains unexplained. This paper shows, for gallic acid (GA) and propyl, octyl, and lauryl gallates (PG, OG, and LG, respectively), that at any given volume fraction of emulsifier, the concentrations of antioxidants in the interfacial region of stripped corn oil emulsions and their efficiency order follow PG > GA > OG > LG. These results provide clear evidence that an AO's efficiency correlates with its fraction in the interfacial region. AO distributions were obtained in intact emulsions by using the pseudophase kinetic model to interpret changes in observed rate constants of the AOs with a chemical probe, and their efficiencies were measured by employing the Schaal oven test. The model provides a natural explanation for the maxima with increasing AO hydrophobicity.

Using the pseudophase kinetic model to interpret chemical reactivity in ionic emulsions: determining antioxidant partition constants and interfacial rate constants

Kinetic results obtained in cationic and anionic emulsions show for the first time that pseudophase kinetic models give reasonable estimates of the partition constants of reactants, here t-butylhydroquinone (TBHQ) between the oil and interfacial region, P(O)(I), and the water and interfacial region, P(W)(I), and of the interfacial rate constant, k(I), for the reaction with an arenediazonium ion in emulsions containing a 1:1 volume ratio of a medium chain length triglyceride, MCT, and aqueous acid or buffer. The results provide: (a) an explanation for the large difference in pH, >4 pH units, required to run the reaction in CTAB (pH 1.54, added HBr) and SDS (pH 5.71, acetate buffer) emulsions; (b) reasonable estimates of PO(I) and k(I) in the CTAB emulsions; (c) a sensible interpretation of added counterion effects based on ion exchange in SDS emulsions (Na(+)/H3O(+) ion exchange in the interfacial region) and Donnan equilibrium in CTAB emulsions (Br(-) increasing the interfacial H3O(+)); and (d) the significance of the effect of the much greater solubility of TBHQ in MCT versus octane, 1000/1, as the oil. These results should aid in interpreting the effects of ionic surfactants on chemical reactivity in emulsions in general and in selecting the most efficient antioxidant for particular food applications.

Distribution of hydroxytyrosol and hydroxytyrosol acetate in olive oil emulsions and their antioxidant efficiency

We employed a kinetic method to determine the distributions of the antioxidants hydroxytyrosol (HT) and hydroxytyrosol acetate (HTA) between the oil, aqueous, and interfacial regions of a model food emulsion composed of stripped olive oil, acidic water, and a blend of Tween 80 and Span 80 [hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) = 8.05] as an emulsifier. HT is oil-insoluble, but HTA is both oil- and water-soluble (partition constant P(O)(W) = 0.61). Results indicate that, at a given emulsifier volume fraction Φ(I), the fraction of HTA in the interfacial region is higher than that of HT. The percentage of both antioxidants increases with an increasing Φ(I), so that % HT > 40% at Φ(I) = 0.005 and % HT > 80% at Φ(I) = 0.04. HTA appears to be a better antioxidant than HT, as shown by an accelerated oxidative test (Schaal oven method). A correlation between their distribution in the emulsion and their efficiency was established.

Effects of emulsifier hydrophile-lipophile balance and emulsifier concentration on the distributions of gallic acid, propyl gallate, and α-tocopherol in corn oil emulsions

We evaluated the effects of the hydrophile-lipophile balance (HLB) and emulsifier concentration on the distribution of the antioxidants gallic acid (GA), propyl gallate (PG), and α-tocopherol (TOC) between the aqueous, interfacial, and oil regions of food-grade emulsions composed of stripped corn oil, acidic water, and a mixture of the non-ionic surfactants Tween 20, 40, 80, and Span 20. The distribution of the antioxidants (AOs) is described by two partition constants, that between the oil-interfacial region, P(O)(I), and that between the aqueous and interfacial region, P(W)(I), of the emulsions. The partition constants were determined from the kinetic analyses of the variation in the observed rate constant, k(obs), for the reaction between the AOs and the hydrophobic 4-hexadecylbenzenediazonium ions, 16-ArN(2)(+), with the emulsifier volume fraction. The effects of emulsifier HLB on the second-order rate constants in the interfacial region k(I) were also evaluated for each antioxidant. Results show that an increase in emulsifier concentration promotes the incorporation of AOs to the interfacial region of the emulsions, so that at surfactant volume fractions of 0.04, more than 90% of GA and PG and more than 50% of TOC are located in that region. A decrease in the HLB favors the incorporation of PG and TOC to the interfacial region of the emulsions but has a negligible effect on the fraction of GA in that region. The %AOs in the interfacial region of the emulsions does not correlate with the polarity of the antioxidant, so that GA and PG are predominantly located in the aqueous-interfacial regions of the emulsion rather that in the oil droplet interior; meanwhile, TOC is mostly located in the oil-interfacial regions. Results should aid to understand how antioxidants are distributed in food-grade emulsions and their relative efficiency in inhibiting lipid oxidation.

Temperature and emulsifier concentration effects on gallic acid distribution in a model food emulsion

We determined the effects of emulsifier concentration and temperature on the distribution of gallic acid (GA) in a food-grade emulsion composed of 1:9 vol:vol stripped corn oil, acidic water and Tween 20. The distribution of GA can be defined by the partition constant between the aqueous and the interfacial regions, P(W)(I), which was determined by using a kinetic method and the pseudophase kinetic model. Once P(W)(I) is known, determining the distribution of GA is straightforward. Our results show that at least 40% of the total GA is located in the interfacial region of the emulsion at 0.005 volume fraction of Tween 20, and this percentage increases to ca. 85% of the total GA at 0.04 volume fraction of Tween 20. The variation of P(W)(I) with the temperature was used to estimate the thermodynamic parameters for the GA transfer from the aqueous to the interfacial region of the emulsion and the activation parameters for the reaction between 16-ArN(2)(+) and GA in the interfacial region. The free energy of transfer from the aqueous to the interfacial region, ΔG(T)(0,W→I), is negative, the enthalpy of transfer is small and negative, but the entropy of transfer is large and positive. Our results demonstrate that the partitioning of GA in acidic emulsions between aqueous and interfacial regions depends primarily on droplet concentration and is only slightly dependent on temperature.

Effects of temperature and emulsifier concentration on alpha-tocopherol distribution in a stirred, fluid, emulsion. Thermodynamics of alpha-tocopherol transfer between the oil and interfacial regions

The combined linear sweep voltammetry (LSV)/pseudophase kinetic model method was used to obtain the first estimates of the free energies, enthalpy, and entropies of transfer of alpha-tocopherol (TOC) between the oil and interfacial regions of fluid, opaque, emulsions of n-octane, acidic water, and the nonionic surfactant hexaethyleneglycol mono dodecyl ether (C12E6) from the temperature dependence of TOC's partition constant. Determining structure-reactivity relationships for chemical reactions in emulsions is difficult because traditional methods for monitoring reactions are unsuitable and because the partitioning of reactive components between the oil, interfacial, and aqueous regions of opaque emulsions are difficult to measure. The dependence of the observed rate constant, k(obs), for the reaction of an arenediazonium probe, 16-ArN2+, with TOC was determined as a function of C12E6 volume fraction. The pseudophase kinetic model was used to estimate the interfacial rate constant, k1, and the partition constants of antioxidants between the oil and interfacial, Po(I), regions in the emulsion from k(obs) versus phiI profiles. The thermodynamic parameters of transfer from the oil to the interfacial region at a series of temperatures were respectively obtained from the PoI values (deltaGT0,O-->I), by the van't Hoff method (deltaHT0,O-->I), and from the Gibbs equation (deltaST0,O-->I). The free energy of transfer is spontaneous, and a large positive entropy of transfer dominates a positive enthalpy of transfer, indicating that the TOC headgroup disrupts the structure of the interfacial region in its immediate vicinity upon transfer from n-octane. The methods described here are applicable to any bimolecular reaction in emulsions in which one of the reactants is restricted to the interfacial region and the rate of its reaction with a second component can be monitored electrochemically.

Determining alpha-tocopherol distributions between the oil, water, and interfacial regions of macroemulsions: novel applications of electroanalytical chemistry and the pseudophase kinetic model

The assumptions of the pseudophase model for chemical reactivity in homogeneous microemulsions are used to determine the distribution of alpha-tocopherol (TOC) in macroemulsions from changes in the observed rate constant (k(obs)) for reaction between 4-hexadecylarenediazonium ion (16-ArN2+) probe and TOC with increasing surfactant concentration. Two partition constants are needed to describe the distribution of TOC or other antioxidant (AO) or polar uncharged molecule between the oil and interfacial (P(O)(I)) and the water and interfacial (P(W)(I)) regions of stirred fluid emulsions. The observed rate constants are measured electrochemically. Here we report values of P(O)(I) and P(W)(I) for the distribution of TOC in octane/acidic water/C12E6 (hexaethylene glycol monododecyl ether) and octane/acidic water/C12E4 (Brij 30, tetraethylene glycol dodecyl ether) emulsions obtained by fitting two kinetic data sets with an equation based on the pseudophase model and solving two equations in two unknowns. The partition constants were used to estimate the %TOC in each region of the emulsions. In 1:1 oil:water C12E6 emulsions, at 2% volume fraction of C12E6, 73% of TOC is in the interfacial region, 26% in the octane and about 1% in the water. The distributions of TOC in C12E4 emulsions are similar. The combined electrochemical-pseudophase model approach is applicable to any AO or other compound that reacts with 16-ArN2+. The second-order rate constant, k(I), for reaction in the interfacial region of the emulsions is also estimated from the kinetic data and is about the same for both surfactants (k(I) approximately 0.1-0.2 M(-1)s(-1)) showing that the medium properties of the interfacial regions of C12E6 and C12E4 emulsions are similar. Comparison of these rate constants for a variety of AOs may provide a scale of AO efficiency that is independent of AO distribution between the oil, interfacial and aqueous regions of emulsions.

Kinetics and mechanism of the reaction between ascorbic acid derivatives and an arenediazonium salt: cationic micellar effects

The effects of tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide, TTAB, and hexadecyl-trimethylammonium bromide, CTAB, micellar systems on the reaction of 3-methylbenzenediazonium, 3MBD, tetrafluoroborate with ascorbic acid, VC, and with the hydrophobic derivatives 6-O-dodecyl-L-ascorbic acid, VC12, and 6-O-palmitoyl-L-ascorbic acid, VC16, were investigated at different pH values by employing a combination of UV-vis spectroscopy and high-performance liquid chromatography, HPLC, techniques. Previous studies in the absence of surfactant showed that the reaction between 3MBD and VC derivatives takes place through a rate-limiting decomposition of a transient diazo ether, DE, formed from reaction between 3MBD and the monoanion form of ascorbic acid, VC-, in a rapid preequilibrium step. In the presence of a fixed [CTAB], the kinetics of the reaction of 3MBD with VC follows a saturation kinetics similar to that observed in its absence, but for the reaction with VC12 and VC16, only the first linear portions of the saturation profiles could be obtained because k(obs) values become too large. HPLC analyses of the reaction mixtures show that no unexpected products are detected, suggesting that cationic micelles do not modify the mechanism of the reaction. Analyses of the kinetic data allowed estimations of the rate constant for the decomposition of the diazo ether and of the equilibrium constant for the formation of DE in the presence of CTAB micelles, which is approximately 6 times higher than in its absence; this suggests that CTAB micelles promote diazo ether formation. At constant [antioxidant], the variations of k(obs) for the reactions with VC, VC12, or VC16 follow bell-shaped curves, with rate enhancements of up to 2-3-fold for VC with respect to the value in the absence of surfactant. The rate maximum for the reaction of 3MBD with VC is reached at [CTAB] = 0.02 M suggesting a CTAB-induced rate increase, i.e., micellar catalysis; meanwhile the rate maximum for the reaction with VC12 and VC16, which may behave as amphiphilic compounds, is reached at [CTAB] approximately 1 x 10(-4) M, a concentration about 10 times lower than its critical micelle concentration, cmc, in pure water, but only approximately 3 times lower than the cmc of VC16, suggesting the formation of reactive CTAB-VC12 and CTAB-VC16 premicellar aggregates. Kinetic and HPLC results are consistent with the predictions of the pseudophase model and are interpreted in terms of 3MBD ions sampling in the aqueous bulk phase and the micellar effects on the different equilibrium involved. The results should contribute to a better understanding of the role of compartmentalized systems on the efficiency with which hydrophilic and hydrophobic reductants such as ascorbic acid derivatives interact with potentially mutagenic and carcinogenic ArN2+ ions.

Determining partition constants of polar organic molecules between the oil/interfacial and water/interfacial regions in emulsions: a combined electrochemical and spectrometric method

We have developed a new approach for estimating distributions of polar additives in opaque, surfactant based, macroemulsions based on the pseudophase model for homogeneous micellar and microemulsion solutions. The distribution of a polar additive, such as an antioxidant, AO, within emulsions is expressed in terms of two partition constants, one between the oil and interfacial regions, P(O)I, and the other between the water and interfacial regions, P(W)I. To estimate values for P(O)I and P(W)I requires fitting two independent data sets with two independent mathematical relations and solving equations simultaneously for the two parameters. The experimental protocols were developed for determining the partition constants of tertbutylhydroquinone, TBHQ, in a stirred emulsion composed of octane, dilute aqueous acid, and hexaethyleneglycol monododecyl ether, C12E6. One data set was obtained by electrochemical determination of the observed rate constant, k(obs), for reaction of TBHQ with an arenediazonium ion probe as a function of C12E6 volume fraction. The second data set was obtained by determining the partition constant, P(O)W, of TBHQ between octane and water in the absence of surfactant by UV-visible spectrometry. TBHQ is almost 30 times more soluble in water than octane: P(O)W = 27.5. The values of the partition constants in the emulsion are P(O)I = 1.84 x 10(4) and P(W)I = 6.73 x 10(2). The partition constants were used to estimate the fraction of TBHQ in each region; for example, 96% of the TBHQ is located in the interfacial region at 0.02 volume fraction of C12E6. Our approach is quite general and should be applicable to any polar organic compound that reacts with the arenediazonium ion probe in emulsions composed of virtually any type of oil and surfactant. Comparisons of the rate constants for reaction of the antioxidant in the interfacial region of the emulsion, which can be obtained from the electrochemical results, may lead to a scale of antioxidant efficiency that is independent of the distribution of the antioxidant in the emulsion.