Antioxidant Activity of Polymers Bearing Hindered Phenolic Groups

Abstract

Polyallylamine and polystyrene beads were allowed to react with 3,5-dibutyl-4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (BHB) and t-butylhydroquinone (BHQ), respectively. The polymeric products, poly-Aa(BHB) and polySt(BHQ) beads worked functionally as antioxidants. The antioxidant effect of the polymer beads in the oxidation of linoleic acid suspensions was investigated by both the ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid methods. The antioxidant activity of poly-St(BHQ) beads was higher than that of poly-Aa(BHB) ones. It was found that the antioxidant activity for 2 mg of 3, 5-dibutyl-4-hydroxytoluene (BHT) corresponded to that for 11.7 g of poly-Aa(BHB) and that of 0.6 g of poly-St(BHQ). The polymer beads are potential antioxidants for foods since their separation from a food oil after their use is easy because of their insolubility.