oxidierter

Oxidierter is the past participle of the German verb oxidieren and is used as an adjective or noun to denote an oxidized form of a substance. In chemistry, an oxidierter species has undergone oxidation, meaning it has lost electrons and typically increased its oxidation state. The process is often accompanied by the addition of oxygen or the removal of hydrogen, but it primarily reflects electron transfer rather than a single mechanical step.

In redox chemistry, oxidierter forms sit opposite reduced forms in a redox pair. Oxidation state is a formal accounting method that helps describe the degree of oxidation. For example, metallic iron (Fe0) can be oxidized to Fe2+ or Fe3+, as seen in various iron oxides and rust, where water and oxygen drive the transformation toward oxidized iron species.

Oxidation is central in many contexts. In industry and materials science, oxidation governs corrosion and degradation, while in organic chemistry it describes the conversion of alcohols to aldehydes or carboxylic acids and the formation of other oxidized products. In biology, controlled oxidation plays a role in metabolism and signaling, whereas excessive oxidation can produce reactive oxygen species that damage cells.

Notation and detection of oxidierter forms rely on oxidation-state assignments, spectroscopic methods, and electrochemical measurements. In biochemical systems, redox partners and cofactors track the movement between oxidized and reduced states, such as NAD+/NADH or glutathione disulfide/glutathione.

See also: oxidation, redox, reduction, oxidation state, rust, oxidative stress.