Transformation of resveratrol under disinfection conditions

Trans -resveratrol becomes more and more popular all over the world as a powerful antioxidant. Since its positive properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor are indisputable, nowadays trans -resveratrol is used as a component of various products from nutriceutics to body care formulations, where it is supposed to behave as natural antioxidant and anti-aging compound. It is also added to food packaging materials to increase their stability or/and prevent oxidation. Nevertheless, being released to the environment resveratrol easily forms various transformation products with potentially negative environmental and health effects. The present paper deals with transformation of pure resveratrol and its formulation used as UV-protectors in conditions of aquatic chlorination. Over 80 transformation products were tentatively identified using gas chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (GC-HRMS) and ultra pressure liquid chromatography-high resolution mass spectrometry (UPLC-HRMS). Chlorinated phenols and biphenyls are the most relevant among them. Estimation of toxicity of resveratrol products was carried out using luminescent bacteria V. fischeri tests. • Trans -resveratrol becomes more and more popular all over the world as a powerful antioxidant. • The first study of transformation of resveratrol and its formulations in aquatic chlorination. • Over 80 transformation products were tentatively identified using GC-HRMS and UPLC-HRMS. • Toxicity estimation of resveratrol products was carried out using luminescent bacteria V. fischeri.