Paula M. Powell, Senior Editor
How many antioxidants are in your green
tea? One way to find out is with photochemiluminescence detection. Analytik Jena
has developed a technique that combines fast photochemical generation of free radicals
and sensitive luminometric measurement to monitor the analysis of antioxidants in
lipid- and aqueous-based samples.
The measurement principle involves
forming defined free radicals with a photosensitizer and detecting their reaction
with a chemiluminogenic substance by measuring emitted light. In the presence of
antioxidants, the free radicals are trapped, thus affecting the intensity of the
photochemiluminescence.
Beer or wine drinkers need not fear.
The application reportedly detects the antioxidative capacity of juices, tea, wine,
beer, oil, cheese and even freeze-dried vegetables. Testing takes less than three
minutes with the required equipment, which can detect nanomolar concentrations of
the antioxidants.
Contact: Andreas Sterner, Analytik Jena USA, Delaware, Ohio; +1 (740) 369-9385; e-mail: [email protected].