Investigation on the interaction mechanism of phospholipids with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and their derivatives during oil degumming process

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), carcinogenic contaminants in edible oils, pose significant health risks. While degumming effectively removes phospholipids, its mechanistic role in PAH elimination remains unclear. This study established a simulated crude oil system, systematically analyzing the interaction mechanism of phospholipids with PAHs during degumming. Our results demonstrated that enhanced phospholipid removal during degumming could reduce PAH contamination. Specifically, at a high phospholipid removal rate, the concentration of 9,10-anthraquinone decreased by 26.03 %, whereas only a slight reduction of 7.53 % was observed under low phospholipid removal conditions. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and theoretical calculations indicated that the phospholipid headgroups and phosphate backbones serve as the primary interaction sites for PAHs. Moreover, substituents of PAH derivatives and headgroups of phospholipids altered the electrostatic surface potentials of molecules, thereby influencing the interaction modes and binding affinities. This study contributes to a comprehensive understanding of the interaction between pollutants and nutritional components.