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Toxicity of Tannic Compounds to Microorganisms

  • Chapter
Plant Polyphenols

Part of the book series: Basic Life Sciences ((BLSC,volume 59))

Abstract

The inhibition of microorganisms by tannic compounds is due to hydrogen bonding with vital proteins such as enzymes. An important factor governing the toxicity of tannic compounds to microorganisms is the tannin polymer size. The strongest inhibition occurs with oligomers, since these are large enough for effective crossbridged hydrogen bonds with proteins, yet small enough for penetration to the sensitive sites within microorganisms. Tannins are particularly vulnerable to polymerization reactions in air; therefore, in practice, the toxicity of tannins is quite dynamic. Polymerization can result in the toxification of tannin monomers and in the detoxification of tannin oligomers.

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  1. Department of Environmental Technology, Agricultural University, Bomenweg 2, 6703 HD, Wageningen, The Netherlands

    J. A. Field & G. Lettinga

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  1. J. A. Field
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  1. United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Pineville, Louisiana, USA

    Richard W. Hemingway

  2. Institute of Wood Research, Houghton, Michigan, USA

    Peter E. Laks

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Field, J.A., Lettinga, G. (1992). Toxicity of Tannic Compounds to Microorganisms. In: Hemingway, R.W., Laks, P.E. (eds) Plant Polyphenols. Basic Life Sciences, vol 59. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-3476-1_39

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