Ozonation of sunflower oil: Spectroscopic monitoring of the degree of unsaturation

Consumption of ozone by unsaturated FA moieties of sunflower oil (SFO) was monitored by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. Degradation of linoleate was found to be 1.5 and 1.8 times higher than oleate when SFO was ozonized in the absence and presence of water, respectively. Products of ozonation in both cases include aldehydes and ozonides with 1,2,4‐trioxolane ring. Hydroxyl‐containing compounds, which could be carboxylic acids and/or hydroperoxides, were also detected in samples ozonized in the presence of water. The extent of ozonation had very little effect on the aldehyde/ozonide ratio obtained from NMR spectra, especially in the ozonation of neast SFO. The aldehyde/ozonide ratios obtained regardless of the extent of ozonation were 10.5:89.5 and 46.6:53.4 for SFO ozonized in the absence and presence of water, respectively.