Thermal decomposition of some phenolic antioxidants

The loss of antioxidants at elevated temperature occurs as a result of both evaporation and decomposition. The stability of 4 phenolic antioxidants (BHA, BHT, TBHQ, PG) at 185°C was examinated by TLC and gas chromatography. Several products arising from thermal oxidation of the antioxidants were separated and identified by GC-MS and mechanisms of their formation suggested