The prooxidant effect of ~-tocopherol was investigated during linoleic acid autoxidation in an aqueous media, at pH 6.9. oeTocopherol (1.25 x 10 -4 M) was added to linoleic acid (2.5 x 10 -3 M) and the linoleic acid autoxidation rate was evaluated using 2 methods: spectrophotometric measurement at 234 nm exhibited an important increase of conjugated dienes after ~-tocopherol addition, especially during the first 4 days, and gas chromatographic measurement of unoxidized linoleic acid showed an important degradation of linoleic acid in the presence of a-tocopherol. During the prooxidant reaction, a-tocopherol was rapidly oxidized; it was detected as traces by thin layer chromatography after 4 days of experimentation. Two oxidation products of a-tocopherol have been identified: a-tocopherylquinone and a dimer of c~-tocophero[.