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Related Concept Videos

Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes01:09

Complexation Equilibria: Factors Influencing Stability of Complexes

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In complexation reactions, metal cations are the electron pair acceptors, and the ligands are the electron pair donors. The stability of the metal complexes depends primarily on the complexing ability of the central metal ion and the nature of the ligands. Generally, the complexing ability of the metal ion depends on the size and charge of the ion. As the metal ion size increases, the stability of the metal complexes decreases, provided that the valency of the metal ion and the ligands remain...
402
Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect01:19

Complexation Equilibria: The Chelate Effect

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In complexation reactions, metal atoms or cations interact with ligands to form donor-acceptor adducts called metal complexes. Ligands that bind through one donor site are monodentate, ligands with two donor sites are bidentate, and those with more than two donor sites are polydentate ligands. For example, ethylene diamine is a bidentate ligand that binds through two nitrogen donor atoms, forming a five-membered ring. EDTA is a polydentate ligand that binds through four oxygen and two nitrogen...
553
Complexometric Titration: Ligands00:43

Complexometric Titration: Ligands

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Different monodentate and polydentate ligands are used as complexing agents in complexometric titration reactions. The formation of complexes by mono- and bidentate ligands involves two or more intermediate steps, limiting their use as complexing agents. In comparison, polydentate ligands can form complexes with metal ions in a single-step process, facilitating sharper end points. This means polydentate ligands, such as amino carboxylic acid derivatives, are most commonly employed in...
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Formation of Complex Ions03:45

Formation of Complex Ions

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A type of Lewis acid-base chemistry involves the formation of a complex ion (or a coordination complex) comprising a central atom, typically a transition metal cation, surrounded by ions or molecules called ligands. These ligands can be neutral molecules like H2O or NH3, or ions such as CN− or OH−. Often, the ligands act as Lewis bases, donating a pair of electrons to the central atom. These types of Lewis acid-base reactions are examples of a broad subdiscipline called coordination...
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EDTA: Chemistry and Properties01:22

EDTA: Chemistry and Properties

2.0K
Polydentate ligands are most widely used in complexometric titrations because they form more stable complexes with the metal ions than mono- or bidentate ligands due to the chelate effect. Examples of polydentate ligands are ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), crown ethers, and cryptands. The most important feature of optimal polydentate ligands is the ability to form 1:1 complexes in a single-step process. Amino carboxylic acid derivatives are frequently used as complexing agents. EDTA is...
2.0K
Complexation Equilibria: Overview01:23

Complexation Equilibria: Overview

739
Complexation reactions take place when dative or coordinate covalent bonds form between metal ions and ligands. The compounds formed in these reactions are called coordination compounds. The number of bonds formed between the metal ion and the ligands is called its coordination number. Generally, most metal ions in an aqueous solution are solvated by water molecules and thus exist as aqua complexes.
The equilibrium constant of the complexation reaction is represented as the formation constant...
739

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Updated: Jul 19, 2025

Production of Elastin-like Protein Hydrogels for Encapsulation and Immunostaining of Cells in 3D
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Encapsulation and stabilization of lactoferrin in polyelectrolyte ternary complexes.

Tiantian Lin1, Yufeng Zhou1, Younas Dadmohammadi1

  • 1Department of Food Science, College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA.

Food Hydrocolloids
|August 7, 2023
PubMed
Summary

Novel polyelectrolyte ternary complexes enhance lactoferrin (LF) stability and antibacterial activity. Gum Arabic-LF-Gelatin complexes show exceptional heat resistance, preserving LF functionality for food applications.

Keywords:
Antibacterial activityCoacervateLactoferrinMultiphase coacervateTernary complexThermal stability

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Area of Science:

  • Food Science
  • Biomaterials Science
  • Protein Chemistry

Background:

  • Lactoferrin (LF) is a bioactive protein with valuable properties but is prone to denaturation by heat and environmental factors.
  • This instability limits its application in functional food products, necessitating improved delivery and stabilization strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop novel polyelectrolyte ternary complexes to enhance the thermal stability and retain the antibacterial activity of lactoferrin (LF).
  • To investigate the structure-property relationships of these complexes, particularly focusing on multiphase coacervates.

Main Methods:

  • Formulation of ternary complexes using LF, gelatin (G), and negatively charged polysaccharides (gum Arabic, soy soluble polysaccharide, high methoxyl pectin).
  • Characterization of complex structures, including interpolymeric complexes and coacervates (multiphase coacervates observed).
  • Assessment of thermal stability via heat treatment (90°C for 2 min, 145°C for 30 s) and evaluation of retained LF structure and antibacterial activity.

Main Results:

  • Ternary complexes, especially with gum Arabic (GA), soy soluble polysaccharide (SSP), and high methoxyl pectin (HMP), significantly improved LF thermal stability.
  • The GA-LF-G complex exhibited remarkable stability, retaining >90% native LF after severe heat treatment, compared to ~7% for LF control.
  • LF within the ternary complexes maintained significant antibacterial activity against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria post-heat treatment.

Conclusions:

  • Polyelectrolyte ternary complexes effectively enhance lactoferrin's thermal stability and preserve its bioactivity, overcoming limitations in functional food applications.
  • The observed multiphase coacervate structure, particularly in the GA-LF-G complex, shows potential as a versatile template for encapsulating and stabilizing other sensitive bioactives and peptides.