COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYDRO- AND LIPOSOLUBLE VITAMINS UNDER ENVIRONMENTAL STRESS CONDITIONS

Vitamins are essential micronutrients that play a critical role in maintaining metabolic balance and preventing deficiency-related disorders. Their biological effectiveness largely depends on molecular stability, which can be affected by environmental factors such as temperature, light, UV radiation, and pH.This study evaluates the influence of these parameters on nine representative vitamins, five water-soluble (B₁, B₂, B₆, B₁₂, C) and four fat-soluble (A, D₃, E, K₁) using UV–VIS spectrophotometry. Each vitamin solution was subjected to controlled conditions of heat (82 °C), light exposure (natural and UV), and pH variation (4–10).The results demonstrated that water-soluble vitamins exhibited higher sensitivity to external factors, particularly vitamins C and B₁, which degraded rapidly under elevated temperature and UV light. Riboflavin (B₂) was notably photolabile, while B₁₂ showed the greatest stability among the hydrosoluble group. In contrast, fat-soluble vitamins were more resistant: vitamin A was the most thermolabile, vitamin K₁ degraded under UV light, and vitamin E remained remarkably stable under all tested conditions. Overall, a direct relationship was observed between solubility, molecular structure, and environmental resistance. Maintaining optimal storage conditions, low temperature, neutral pH, and protection from light is crucial to preserve vitamin bioactivity during formulation and storage.