Fig. 2. Effects of fatty acid addition on propofol dimerization in sulfite-containing propofol emulsion. Reactions were performed as described in Materials and Methods. The fatty acid salts added per milliliter emulsion were 16.3 μmol stearic, 16.4 μmol oleic, 16.5 μmol linoleic, 16.7 μmol linolenic, and 15.3 μmol arachidonic. Values represent the mean (± SD) of triplicate determinations. White bars , propofol dimer; gray bars , propofol dimer quinone; black bars , total dimers, valueless bars , < 1 μg/ml. All values are significantly different from corresponding values of each other unsaturated fatty acid (P < 0.05).