title: Copper complexing properties and physico-chemical characterisation of the organic matter in Greek herbal infusions.
abstract: Complex formation is among the mechanisms affecting metals' bioaccessibility. Evaluating the extent of interactions between trace elements and several constituents of food items is of great interest. This paper examines the release of copper-complexing ligands in herbal infusions of 13 aromatic plants commonly used in Greece. The concentration of ligands (LT) and the copper-binding strength (logKapp) of herbal infusions were determined with Differential Pulse Anodic Stripping Voltammetry (DPASV). All herbal infusions were found to release Cu complexing ligands, at concentrations ranging from 8.8 to 112.5 μM in rosemary and marjoram, respectively. In all infusions the total copper concentrations were lower than the corresponding LT values, indicating that Cu is fully complexed. Aiming to partially characterise the physico-chemical properties of the released organic material, the surface active substances (SAS), reduced sulphur species (RS) and catalytically active compounds (CAC) were measured, for the first time, in herbal infusions by sensitive electrochemical techniques.
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 84 Athens, Greece. Electronic address: skarav@chem.uoa.gr.
authors.forename: Sotirios
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Karavoltsos
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine and Environmental Research, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Plavšić
authors.affiliation: Harokopio University, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry-Physical Chemistry of Foods, 176 71 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Nick
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kalogeropoulos
authors.affiliation: Harokopio University, Department of Nutrition and Dietetics, Laboratory of Chemistry-Biochemistry-Physical Chemistry of Foods, 176 71 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Dimitra A A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Kogiannou
authors.affiliation: Ruđer Bošković Institute, Center for Marine and Environmental Research, P.O. Box 180, 10002 Zagreb, Croatia.
authors.forename: Slađana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Strmečki
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 84 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Aikaterini
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sakellari
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 84 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Manos
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dassenakis
authors.affiliation: National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Department of Chemistry, Laboratory of Environmental Chemistry, Panepistimiopolis Zografou, 157 84 Athens, Greece.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scoullos
mesh_terms: D003300:Copper / Q000737:chemistry*; D055664:Electrochemical Techniques; D006115:Greece; D009930:Organic Chemicals / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D009930:Organic Chemicals; D010936:Plant Extracts; D003300:Copper
keywords: Complexation; Copper; Herbs; Infusions; Organic ligands; Phenolic compounds