Study on the effect of antioxidants in the autoxidation of methyl nonconjugated octadecadienoates

Many studies have been published on the effect of antioxidants on unsaturated fatty acid esters but the differences of the effects of antioxidants on geometric isomers have never been investigated. In this study, methylcis-9,cis-12-octadecadienoate and itstrans isomer methyltrans-9,trans-12-octadecadienoate were used as methyl nonconjugated dienoates, and BHA, BHT, PG, NDGA, 4,4′-dihydroxy-3,5,3′,5′-tetratert-butyl diphenyl methane, L-thyroxine sodium salt,a-tocopherol and sesamol were used, as antioxidants. The differences of the effects of antioxidants on both geometric isomers were investigated by determining the induction period using the weighing method. Also determined were the infrared and ultraviolet spectra, peroxide values, conjugated diene contents, isolatedtrans double bond contents and molecular weights for the controls and the samples containing antioxidants. Thecis,cis isomer was more easily autoxidized and had a shorter induction period than thetrans,trans form. By the end of the induction period, no isolatedtrans double bond forms in thecis,cis isomer, but a considerable amount of isolatedtrans double bond decreased in thetrans,trans isomer. In general, the effects of antioxidants, except NDGA, on thecis,cis isomer were larger than thetrans,trans form.