Abstract
The 2,2′-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS•+) radical cation-based assays are among the most abundant antioxidant capacity assays, together with the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-based assays according to the Scopus citation rates. The main objective of this review was to elucidate the reaction pathways that underlie the ABTS/potassium persulfate decolorization assay of antioxidant capacity. Comparative analysis of the literature data showed that there are two principal reaction pathways. Some antioxidants, at least of phenolic nature, can form coupling adducts with ABTS•+, whereas others can undergo oxidation without coupling, thus the coupling is a specific reaction for certain antioxidants. These coupling adducts can undergo further oxidative degradation, leading to hydrazindyilidene-like and/or imine-like adducts with 3-ethyl-2-oxo-1,3-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonate and 3-ethyl-2-imino-1,3-benzothiazoline-6-sulfonate as marker compounds, respectively. The extent to which the coupling reaction contributes to the total antioxidant capacity, as well as the specificity and relevance of oxidation products, requires further in-depth elucidation. Undoubtedly, there are questions as to the overall application of this assay and this review adds to them, as specific reactions such as coupling might bias a comparison between antioxidants. Nevertheless, ABTS-based assays can still be recommended with certain reservations, particularly for tracking changes in the same antioxidant system during storage and processing.
Highlights
It has been more than two decades since one of the most widely used methods of antioxidant capacity measurement, the improved trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, was invented [1]
The 2,2 -azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+) radical cation-based assays are among the most abundant antioxidant capacity assays, together with the 2,2-diphenyl-1picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical-based assays according to the Scopus citation rates
The main objective of this review was to elucidate the reaction pathways that underlie the ABTS/potassium persulfate decolorization assay of antioxidant capacity
Summary
It has been more than two decades since one of the most widely used methods of antioxidant capacity measurement, the improved trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, was invented [1]. Due to many different TEAC assay modifications, widespread use of Trolox as an equivalent standard compound, and the TEAC index as a measure for antioxidant capacity expression in different assays, we here use the abbreviation “ABTS/PP” for the improved TEAC assay
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