Modern Chemistry & Applications

Abstract

Inhibition of the Oxidation of Acetophenone by Aqueous Extracts of Edible Fruits and Vegetables

Lovell Agwaramgbo, Tishina Okegbe, Tajeve Wright, Stephen Igwe and Victor Ogburie

A body of research has identified some fruits and vegetables to have anti-oxidant potential in biological systems. However limited literature reports exist for the inhibition of chemical oxidation reactions by fruits and vegetables. The research reported here examined the effect of plants, fruits, and vegetables on the oxidation reaction of acetophenone by bleach and if the bleach oxidation reaction of acetophenone is chlorine-induced. To examine the ability of plants to inhibit the oxidation of acetophenone, the reactions were carried out in the presence and absence (control) of plant materials and Vitamin E. Results suggest that the reactions without the plant materials or Vitamin E produce 1.53 g of benzoic acid, an oxidative product, while reactions in the presence of plant materials or Vitamin E were inhibited and produced a varying amount of oxidative product ranging from 0-0.9 g. Similar reactions of acetophenone with chlorine free bleach in the absence of plant materials did not produce any oxidative product. The order of inhibition of oxidation by fruit and vegetable extracts which is inversely related to the amount of oxidative product formed is carrot~ tomatoes~ spinach~ bitter leaf (0.0 g) > yellow bell pepper (0.008 g) > mustard green (0.01 g) > turnip green (0.03 g) > broccoli (0.27 g) > red bell pepper (0.17 g) > green bell pepper (0.31 g) > cucumber (0.59 g) > red lettuce (0.68 g) > rosemary (0.76 g) > green onions (0.82 g) > green lettuce (0.84 g) > romaine lettuce (0.91 g). These results suggest that (i) fruits and vegetables have varying degrees of antioxidant ability and (ii) the bleach oxidation of acetophenone to benzoic acid is chlorine induced.