UV-effects on antioxidant activity of selected carotenoids in the presence of lecithin estimated by DPPH test

Abstract

The effects of ultraviolet radiation (UV) on the antioxidant action of three selected carotenoids (β-carotene, lycopene and lutein) in the presence of a lipoidal lecithin mixture were studied by the DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) test. The test is based on the measurement of the decrease of the free DPPH radical absorbance at 517 nm caused by the antioxidant action of carotenoids, which appeared to be strongly affected by UV-action. The high-energy input of the involved UV-photons plays a major governing role.