The Micellar Acceleration of the Reduction of Nitroblue Tetrazolium by Superoxide Anion Radicals during the Autoxidation of Polyphenols

The rates of the reduction of Nitroblue Tetrazolium by O2− during the autoxidation of pyrogallol, epinephrine, and catechol were increased 110, 55, and 37-fold respectively in the presence of hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide. A nonionic micelle of polyoxyethylene dodecyl ether also accelerated these reactions. The microenvironment effects on the electron-transfer from O2− to Nitroblue Tetrazolium were discussed.