Effect of gamma radiation on folic acid and its cobalt complex solutions

Mechanism of folic acid radiolysis in aqueous solution

“…Radiation doses over 1 kGy degraded intensely FA molecule into more polar fragments. These results are in accordance with others studies on FA radio-stability (Araújo et al, 2011;Araújo et al, 2012;El-Dessouky et al, 1988;Kesavan et al, 2003). During the development of the proposed LC/UV method, gradient conditions were optimized including an increase of organic phase (MeOH) concentration up to 100%.…”

“…Identification of these FA radioproducts performed by LC-MS/MS analysis is in agreement with previous studies on FA degradation (Araújo et al, 2012;ElDessouky et al, 1988;Kesavan et al, 2003). Stability of folates and FA has been already studied by several authors, notably the effect of photolysis (Akhtar, Khan, & Ahmad, 2003;D antola et al, 2010;Off et al, 2005;Thomas, Suarez, Cabrerizo, Martino, & Capparelli, 2000;Vorobey, Steindal, Off, Vorobey, & Moan, 2006) but also some studies on radio (El-Dessouky et al, 1988;Müller & Diehl, 1966;Nakken & Pihl, 1966) and thermal stability (Vora, Riga, Dollimore, & Alexander, 2002). In general, these studies stated that FA could degrade into different degradation products depending on cleaving sites of FA molecule, including mainly pterine-6-carboxylic acid (PCA), p-aminobenzoyl-L-glutamic acid (pABGA), p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA), pteroic acid (PA) and glutamic acid (GLU).…”

“…Radiation doses as low as 0.75 kGy were enough to decrease by half the initial FA concentration (226 mmol/L). Concerning other FA radiolysis studies, El-Dessouky et al (1988) studied the effect of gamma radiation on FA and its cobalt complex solutions. They observed that FA solutions (pH 9.2) absorptions gradually decreased with increasing absorbed doses from 2 to 10 krad as well as from 2 to 10 Mrad.…”

“…In addition, the consumers are concerned about the food they eat and ask for more assurances on the quality, the safety and the geographical origin of the products that they consume (Di Stefano et al, 2012). Despite few reports on FA radio-degradation found in literature (Araújo et al, 2011;El-Dessouky, Abd-Elwahab, & Turk, 1988;Kesavan, Pote, Batra, Viswanathan, 2003;Nakken & Pihl, 1966) much is still let to be known, specially on the mechanism of FA radiolysis. The purpose of the present work is to identify and quantify by HPLC the radio-degradation products of folic acid aqueous solutions submitted to increasing doses of ionizing radiation and to investigate the possible radio-degradation mechanism of this vitamin.…”

Physicochemical, Pharmacological and Analytical Profile of Folic Acid: A Comprehensive Review

“…Because the salt should not be exposed to temperatures as high as 148ºC or γ-irradiation these modes of degradation are not of concerned. The most expected modes of degradation are reduction and oxidation 33,34 .…”