SELECTIVE OXIDATION OF LACTOSE TO LACTOBIONIC ACID ON LEAD-ADATOMS MODIFIED PLATINUM-ELECTRODES IN NA2CO3+NAHCO3 BUFFERED MEDIUM

The electrocatalytic oxidation of lactose was performed in carbonate b uffered solutions. The electrolysed solutions, analysed at regular per iods of time by chromatography, showed that lactobionic acid was the o nly important reaction product when the oxidation was carried out on l ead-adatom-modified platinum electrodes. Confirmation was obtained by means of additional spectroscopic techniques like H-1 nuclear magnetic resonance and gas chromatography-mass spectroscopy. A mechanism for t he first steps of the reaction is tentatively suggested.