THE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF PHENOLIC MOLECULES IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE pH OF ENVIRONMENT REACTION

THE ANTIOXIDANT PROPERTIES OF PHENOLIC MOLECULES IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE pH OF ENVIRONMENT REACTION Some epidemiological evidence suggests beneficial effects on human health from a diet rich in fruit, vegetables and certain types of beverages such as tea and wine (1,2). These compounds do not have nutritive properties but they have a functional role in the human organism. Some studies have investigated the effect of pH on the antioxidant properties of polyphenols (3,4) and have reported that the pH-dependent behaviour is related to hydroxyl deprotonation. However, these studies did not compare the antioxidant activity of various classes of polyphenols and did not take into account the acid…