Oxidation of methyl linoleate in aqueous dispersions induced by copper and iron.

The oxidations of methyl linoleate micelles in aqueous dispersions induced by copper and iron have been studied, aiming specifically at elucidating the action of the copper ion in the chain initiation. Sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and tetradecyltrimethylammonium bromide (TTAB) were used as anionic and cationic surfactants, respectively, in order to see the effect of the electric charge of the micelle surface. Both copper and iron induced the oxidations of methyl linoleate micelles by decomposing lipid hydroperoxide contained initially in methyl linoleate, tert-butyl hydroperoxide, or hydrogen peroxide added to the aqueous phase. The rate of oxidation induced by cupric ions was proportional to the first power of methyl linoleate concentration and to the half power of both cupric ion and hydroperoxide concentrations, suggesting that the oxidation was initiated by the peroxyl and alkoxyl radicals formed in the decomposition of hydroperoxide by copper. The formation of alkoxyl radicals was confirmed by its trapping with a spin trap. The rate of oxidation was dependent on the type of surfactant. Methyl linoleate containing a very small amount of hydroperoxide was oxidized by copper in the SDS system, but the rate of its oxidation was negligible when TTAB was used. However, the addition of tert-butyl hydroperoxide induced the oxidation even in the TTAB system. Hydroperoxyl and hydroxyl radicals formed in the SDS system induced the oxidation, but those formed in the TTAB system did not. It was shown that the effect of radicals on the initiation of lipid peroxidation depends on the type of radicals and site of radical formation.