A Possible Role for Singlet Oxygen in the Degradation of Various Antioxidants. A Meta-Analysis and Review of Literature Data

• Published in: Antioxidants 2018-02, Vol.7 (3), p.35
• Main Authors: Petrou, Athinoula L, Petrou, Petros L, Ntanos, Theodoros, Liapis, Antonis
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: activation energy; Antioxidants; Competition; enthalpy of activation; entropy of activation; free energy of activation; Meta-analysis; Oxidative stress; Oxygen; Pollutants; singlet oxygen
• ISSN: 2076-3921; 2076-3921
• DOI: 10.3390/antiox7030035

The thermodynamic parameters E , ΔH , ΔS , and ΔG for various processes involving antioxidants were calculated using literature kinetic data (k, T). The ΔG values of the antioxidants' processes vary in the range 91.27-116.46 kJmol at 310 K. The similarity of the ΔG values (for all of the antioxidants studied) is supported to be an indication that a common mechanism in the above antioxidant processes may be taking place. A value of about 10-30 kJmol is the activation energy for the diffusion of reactants depending on the reaction and the medium. The energy 92 kJmol is needed for the excitation of O₂ from the ground to the first excited state (¹Δ , singlet oxygen). We suggest the same role of the oxidative stress and specifically of singlet oxygen to the processes of antioxidants as in the processes of proteinaceous diseases. We therefore suggest a competition between the various antioxidants and the proteins of proteinaceous diseases in capturing singlet oxygen's empty π* orbital. The concentration of the antioxidants could be a crucial factor for the competition. Also, the structures of the antioxidant molecules play a significant role since the various structures have a different number of regions of high electron density.