Amine oxides are amine-based surfactants, represent one of the smaller classes of surfactants as compared to alcohol ethoxylates and sulfonated and sulfated anionic surfactants. However, the uniqueness of the hydrophile in such surfactants provides specific properties that are difficult, if not impossible, to replicate by the use of classic nonionic and anionic surfactants. The aim of the present paper is to survey the most important developments and understandings of the chemistry of amine oxide production, it’s physico-chemical studies, applications and environmental properties.

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This paper reports the ecotoxicological study of “tetradecanoic acid, 2-sulfo-, 1-methylester, sodium salt (C14MES)”. This salt was synthesized by sulfonating 1-methyl tetradecanoic acid derived from palm oil and coconut oil with sulfur trioxide. The tests were attempted in accordance with the OECD (Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development) Guidelines for the Testing of Chemicals. The 72 h ErC₅₀ exceeded 100 mg/L in the alga growth inhibition test. In the daphnia acute immobilization and reproduction tests, 17.2 mg/L of 48 h EC₅₀ and 4.10 mg/L of NOEC were derived, respectively. These ecotoxicities of C14MES were equivalent to or lower than that of other similar anionic surfactants, such as LAS (linear alkylbenzene sulfonate) or AOS (alpha olefin sulfonate).

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The present study was designed to evaluate the physiological effect of trans fatty acid in the diabetic condition. After feeding the mixture of oleic (cis) or elaidic (trans) acids with safflower oil (3 : 7, wt/wt) at the dietary level of 10% for 2 weeks, rats were treated with streptozotocin and reared on the same diets for an additional week. The dietary level of elaidic acid was 6.4 energy %, which corresponded to the level that causes an increase in plasma low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and a decrease in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol in humans. The following differences were observed in rats fed trans acid in comparison with those fed cis acid; (a) significant reduction of water consumption and serum glucose, and an elevation of serum insulin, (b) a reducing trend of serum and liver lipids, (c) a reducing trend of the proportion of stearic and arachidonic acids in liver phospholipids and (d) a significant reduction of the concentration of serum immunoglobulin G (IgG) and an increase in IgE. Thus, the results indicate that elaidic acid may not further aggravate metabolic disorders caused under the diabetic condition more than the cis counterpart even when consumed at a relatively high level, with the exception of the response of serum immunoglobulins.

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Frying is widely employed on a large scale in the food manufacturing industry, but in a manner similar to domestic frying under air. It is likely that the oil contained in some fried foodstuffs has deteriorated to a greater extent than the oil used in home frying, because industries often use one batch of frying oil for a long period (apparently 20 h) before replacing it. In this work, we examined the effect of antioxidants (α-tocopherol, BHT, lecithin), and the effect of frying under a flow of nitrogen, on the deterioration of frying oil. All the antioxidants were found to be ineffective in preventing color deterioration (as a marker of oxidation), but frying under nitrogen was found to inhibit oil deterioration to a remarkable effect. Unfortunately, in addition to the cost of installing the facility, it is expensive to maintain a continuous flow of nitrogen. We carried out frying model experiments in which a mixture consisting of oil and amino acid was heated in a tube at 180°C for 20 h under a limited supply of oxygen. It was found that a slight decrease in atmospheric pressure, e.g. to 97 kPa, inhibited color deterioration and the formation of polar compounds by more than 50%. It should be economically feasible to set up a frying facility operated under reduced pressure, which will result in a decrease in oil deterioration and also in cooking oil fumes, a possible risk factor for lung cancer for frying operators.

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Biotransformation of geraniol by the common cutworm (Spodoptera litura) larvae was investigated. Geraniol was mixed in an artificial diet, and the diet was fed to the larvae (fourth-fifth instar) of S. litura. Geraniol was transformed to 8-hydroxygeraniol, 9-hydroxygeraniol, (2E,6E)-8-hydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadienoic acid, (2E,6E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadiene-1,8-dioic acid and (2E,6Z)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadiene-1,9-dioic acid. Geraniol was preferentially oxidized at the allylic methyl group and primary alcohol by S. litura larvae.

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2-Carboxy-1-ethoxycarbonylethylidenetriphenylphosphorane 2 reacted with aldehydes in aqueous media under the neutral condition to afford stereoselectively the half ester of alkylidensuccinic acid in good yield as a single compound from ¹H-NMR without column chromatography in comparison with Wittg reaction in conventional organic solvent.

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