Separation and quantitation of plasma free fatty acids as phenacyl esters by HPLC

We have developed a rapid method for the separation of plasma free fatty acids as their phenacyl esters by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using a reversed-phase (C18) column. The derivatives of series of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (C12:0-C22:6) are simultaneously separated within 45 min and detected with ultraviolet at 241 nm. The limit of detection of fatty acids was approximately 0.5 nmol in 20 microL injected volume of extracts, and the coefficient of variation of the present method did not exceed 3.0%. Comparison of the results of the present HPLC method with those of gas chromatography, gave very good correlations for all fatty acids in human plasma.     

Analysis of tissue free fatty acids isolated by aminopropyl bonded-phase columns

Gas chromatographic analysis revealed that polyunsaturated fatty acids such as arachidonic acid and total tissue free fatty acids isolated from an aminopropyl bonded-phase column yield a two- to three-fold higher recovery of arachidonic acid as compared to those isolated from thin-layer chromatographic plates. This method was further improved by packing the aminopropyl bonded phase in glass columns, since the glass column significantly eliminated the other contaminants (from polypropylene columns) coeluting with fatty acids in both a neutral lipid thin-layer chromatographic system and on a 5% DEGS-PS column of gas chromatographic analysis. In aminopropyl bonded-phase columns, the standard triglycerides and phospholipids were completely separated from free fatty acids as judged by gas chromatographic analysis. These results warrant the use of an aminopropyl bonded-phase column for the isolation of free fatty acids to obtain better recovery of polyunsaturated fatty acids.     

Quantitation of phenacyl esters of retinal fatty acids by high-performance liquid chromatography.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) method for the separation and quantitation of retinal fatty acids containing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids is described. Fatty acids from frog retinal lipids were converted to the corresponding phenacyl derivatives which were separated on a C18 reversed-phase column and detected at 242 nm. Molar absorptivities (peak area units/nmol) of up to seventeen fatty acid phenacyl derivatives were determined and used for quantitation of fatty acids separated by HPLC. Compared with gas chromatography, the HPLC method gave a similar molar percent distribution of the fatty acids and was twenty to fifty times more sensitive. This HPLC method provides a useful means for the study of chemistry and metabolism of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids in retina and other tissues where amounts of material may be limited or recovery of individual components desirable.     

Fatty-acid composition of rat brain lipids. Determined by support-coated open-tubular gas chromatography.

The nonhydroxy fatty acid composition of rat brain lipids (except gangliosides) was determined by support-coated open-tubular (SCOT) gas chromatography. Fatty acids of both odd and even chain lengths ranging from C14 to C26 were detected. Brain lipids contained 49% saturated, 29% monounsaturated, and 22% polyunsaturated fatty acids. Monoenoic fatty acids were mainly of the omega-9 and omega-7 series with minor amounts of omega-10 and amega-11 isomers. Dienes and trienes consisted of omega-6, amega-7, and omega-9 series. Tetraenes were of the omega-6 series. Small amounts of omega-6 and omega-3 pentaenes were detected. The most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acid was 22:6omega-3. The advantages of support-coated open-tubular columns over wall-coated open-tubular columns for the analysis of brain lipid fatty acids are discussed.     

Quantitative determination of the fatty acid composition of human serum lipids by high-performance liquid chromatography

A high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of the fatty acid composition of human serum lipids with fluorescence detection was examined. Both free and total fatty acids extracted from serum were derivatized with 9-anthryldiazomethane and were analysed using methanol-water (94.7:5.3) as mobile phase. Twelve kinds of fatty acid were detected, both in the free and total fatty acids, and were well separated. Concentrations of individual fatty acids of serum lipids were estimated from an internal standard, heptadecanoic acid. The results correlated well with those from two other quantitative analyses. These results indicate that the high-performance liquid chromatographic analysis of fatty acids is a reliable method for determining individual fatty acids of human serum lipids. The compositions of free fatty acids and total fatty acids of serum lipids were analysed and compared in 27 normal subjects, 27 diabetics, and 20 angina pectoris patients by this method.     

A matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry approach to the lipid A from Mesorhizobium loti

The isolation, purification and analysis of the lipid A obtained from Mesorhizobium loti Ayac 1 BII strain is presented. Analysis of the carbohydrate moiety after acid hydrolysis by high-pH anion-exchange chromatography with pulse amperometric detection (HPAEC-PAD) showed the presence of glucosamine and galacturonic acid as the only sugar components. Gas chromatographic (GC) and GC/mass spectrometric (MS) analysis of the fatty acids revealed the presence of 3-OH-C12:0; 3-OH-C13:0; 3-OH-C20:0 and 27-OH-C28:0 among the major hydroxylated species. In addition, C16:0, C17:0, C18:0 and C 20:0 were shown as main saturated fatty acids. Different polyacylated species were evidenced by thin layer chromatography of lipid A, allowing the purification of two fractions. Ultraviolet matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight (UV-MALDI-TOF) MS analysis with different matrices, in the positive- and negative-ion mode, was performed. The fast moving component revealed the presence of hexa-acylated species, varying in the fatty acid composition. Species containing three 3-OH fatty acids and a 27-OH-C28:0 fatty acid were observed. Individual ions within this family differ by +/-14 mass units. The slow moving component was enriched mainly in penta-acylated species. Among them, three subgroups were detected: the major one compatible with the sugar core bearing two 3-OH 20:0 fatty acids, a 3-OH 13:0 or a 3-OH 12:0 fatty acid, a 27-OH 28:0 fatty acid and one saturated fatty acid. Each signal differs in a C18:0 acyl unit from the corresponding hexa-acylated family. On the other hand, a subgroup bearing one 3-OH 20:0 fatty acid, one 27-OH 28:0 fatty acid and two non-polar fatty acids was shown. A minor subgroup compatible with structures containing two hydroxylated and three non-polar fatty acids was also detected. The results obtained showed that nor-harmane was an excellent matrix for charged lipid A structural studies in both, positive and negative ion modes.     

Determination of Free Fatty Acids in Natural Oils and Alkyd Resins by High Performance Liquid Chromatography

Abstract

Mixtures of free fatty acids in natural oil and alkyd resin samples have been analyzed using a μBondapak Free Fatty Acid column in conjunction with a ternary mobile phase. Variation of the mobile phase composition allows ‘‘fingerprinting'’ as well as quantitation of the fatty acid components. Samples can be analyzed in ten minutes by this method. The results of the application of this technique to the identification of oil sources of fatty acids as well as the production of fatty acids during alkyd resin synthesis are given. Good agreement is observed for fatty acid compositions determined via HPLC with those obtained by gas chromatographic methyl ester analysis.     

碱催化法衍生化气相色谱/质谱法分析青海湖裸鲤鱼油中的脂肪酸

用碱催化法将青海湖裸鲤鱼油甲酯化,以气相色谱/质谱法分析鱼油中的脂肪酸。青海湖裸鲤可食用部分中鱼油含量为25.13%。从鱼油中共鉴定出47种脂肪酸,包括直链、单支链、多支链饱和脂肪酸,单不饱和、多不饱和脂肪酸,环丙烷基、呋喃基脂肪酸等。不饱和脂肪酸含量为73.6%,其中多不饱和脂肪酸含量为25.4%,以C18∶2(4.9%),C18∶3(3.1%),C20∶4(1.3%),C20∶5(二十碳五烯酸（EPA）, 9.4%)和C22∶6(二十二碳六烯酸（DHA）, 6.7%)为主。单不饱和脂肪酸含量为48.2%,主要由C16∶1(20.3%),C18∶1(25.9%)构成。饱和脂肪酸含量为25.7%,主要有C14∶0(3.4%),C16∶0 (19.4%)和C18∶0(1.1%)。青海湖裸鲤鱼油中还存在不常见的环丙烷基和呋喃基脂肪酸及多种奇数碳链和支链脂肪酸。因此,青海湖裸鲤是功能性脂肪酸的重要膳食来源。     

小鼠眼球中脂肪酸的组成分析

首次对小鼠眼球中的脂肪酸组成进行了气相色谱分析。小鼠眼球中的脂肪酸经氯仿－甲醇－盐酸混合液萃取,用甲醇－氢氧化钾法甲酯化,在２５ｍ×０．２５ｍｍＰＥＧ－２０Ｍ熔融石英毛细管柱内进行分离,眼球中１２种主要脂肪酸得到了定性和定量。测试结果提示：正常小鼠眼球中饱和脂肪酸含量较高,占全部脂肪酸含量的５２．８％;不饱和脂肪酸含量较少,但以多不饱和脂肪酸居多,占全部脂肪酸含量的１８．２％,不饱和脂肪酸与饱和脂肪酸的比值为０．６。可为有关眼疾病的治疗、预防及生化方面的深入研究提供有意义的信息。     

高效液相色谱法测定猪油甘油三酯中的脂肪酸位置分布

 建立了一种采用高效液相色谱法(HPLC)分析猪油甘油三酯中的脂肪酸组成及其位置分布的方法。利用sn-1,3位专一性脂肪酶对甘油三酯sn-1,3位上的脂肪酸进行水解,形成sn-2位甘油单酯和游离脂肪酸；之后,通过甘油三酯中脂肪酸总含量和sn-1,3位上脂肪酸含量之间的差值计算出sn-2位上的脂肪酸含量。利用2-溴苯乙酮仅同游离脂肪酸作用的特点,将脂肪酸酯化为苯乙酰甲酯,然后进行HPLC分析。分析所用色谱柱为ZORBAX SB C18柱,以十七酸作为内标，甲醇-乙腈-水为流动相,采用梯度洗脱(梯度洗脱程序为甲醇-乙腈-水由80∶10∶10（体积比，下同）在35 min内线性变化到86∶10∶4,然后在5　min内恢复到起始比例，流动相流速为1 mL/min),通过测定苯乙酰甲酯在254 nm处的吸光度值来测定脂肪酸含量。结果表明,猪油甘油三酯中的脂肪酸主要是棕榈酸和油酸(分别占总量的26.61%和43.18%),其中油酸主要分布于sn-1,3位上,而棕榈酸分布于sn-2位上。这些测定结果与传统气相色谱法的测定结果相吻合。该方法简单可行,省去了传统测定中费时的薄层色谱分离步骤,可成为一种有效的实验室分析方法。     

Solid-phase extraction and liquid chromatography--mass spectrometry for the determination of free fatty acids in shellfish

A novel analytical protocol for the determination of free fatty acids (FFAs; saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated) in shellfish using electrospray ionisation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) is described. Total lipids were extracted from four commercially important shellfish species using chloroform-methanol in a modification of the traditionally used Bligh and Dyer method. FFAs were recovered from lipidic shellfish extracts by solid-phase extraction (SPE) on an aminopropyl-silica column using a 98:2 v/v diethyl ether (DEE)-acetic acid solution. Ether extracts containing the FFAs were evaporated and reconstituted in 70:30 v/v methanol-chloroform before analysis by LC-MS. The limits of quantification (LOQs) of the method ranged from 60 to 560 microgg(-1) wet weight depending on the different FFAs determined with selected ion monitoring (SIM). Results demonstrate that LC-MS is well suited for identification and quantification of FFAs in shellfish and negates the use of sample derivatisation required in gas chromatographic analysis.     

A rapid and reliable direct method for quantifying meat acylglycerides with monomode microwave irradiation

A rapid methodology for direct analysis of meat acylglycerides is proposed. A transesterification is carried out in a microwave reactor consisting of a monomode oven using chlorotrimethylsilane (CTMS) and methanol. High-temperature gas chromatography was used to check the absence of underivatized acylglycerides. Whereas transesterification is complete after 30 s at 90 °C in the microwave method, the reference method needs 2 h to complete this process. Moreover, the CTMS–microwave method shows higher recoveries of individual saturated, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. No influence of microwave irradiation on the composition of the fatty acids was observed.     

气相色谱/质谱法分析孔石莼中的脂肪酸

建立了孔石莼脂肪酸的气相色谱/质谱(GC/MS)测定方法。使用Folch法提取了孔石莼中的总脂,经过2 mol/L HCl-甲醇溶液的甲酯化处理后,采用GC/MS法对其脂肪酸组成进行了分离分析,同时结合有机质谱学规律,分别对饱和脂肪酸甲酯、单不饱和脂肪酸甲酯和多不饱和脂肪酸甲酯的裂解规律和质谱特征进行了分析归纳。通过质谱数据库检索和标准品对照,鉴定出孔石莼中的24种脂肪酸,其中9,12,15-十八碳三烯酸、4,7,10,13-十六碳四烯酸和6,9,2,15-十八碳四烯酸3种主要多不饱和脂肪酸占总脂肪酸含量的45.14%。通过对孔石莼中脂肪酸的分析,表明特征离子在脂肪酸甲酯尤其是多不饱和脂肪酸甲酯的定性方面具有很好的应用价值。     

Fatty acid composition of glycerophospholipids in seven tissues of cod (Gadus morhua), determined by combined high-performance liquid chromatography and gas chromatography

A method for the separation from fish tissues of the four main glycerophospholipid classes, phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, using adsorption high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection and consecutive gas chromatographic analysis, based on one injection for their fatty acid compositions, is described. Fatty acid 19:0 was used as an internal standard for the calculation of the relative concentrations of the phospholipids. The patterns of fatty acid distribution within each of the phospholipids from seven cod organs had some general similarities. Phosphatidylcholine had the highest levels of 16:0 and 18:2 n - 6, and the ratio of 20:5 to 22:6 varied between 0.5 and 0.9. Phosphatidylethanolamine had the highest total polyunsaturated fatty acids, (n -3) polyunsaturated fatty acids, and 22:6 n -3, and the ratio of 20:5 to 22:6 varied between 0.2 and 0.5. Phosphatidylinositol showed the highest level of 18:0 and 20:4 n - 6 and had the lowest ratio of (n - 3) to (n - 6). Phosphatidylserine had the highest ratio of (n - 3) to (n - 6) and the lowest ratio of 20:5 to 22:6. A generally low level (less than 1.5%) of the long-chain monoene, 22:1, was found in the phospholipids in all tissues.     

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography purification of methyl esters of C(16)-C(28) polyunsaturated fatty acids in microalgae, including octacosaoctaenoic acid [28:8(n-3)

A preparative reversed-phase (RP; C(18)) high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method with gradient elution using acetonitrile (MeCN)-chloroform (CHCl(3)) (or dichloromethane (DCM)) and evaporative light-scattering detection (ELSD) with automatic multiple injection and fraction collection was used to purify milligram quantities of microalgal polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), separated as methyl esters (ME). PUFA-ME purified included methyl esters of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA; 22:6(n-3)), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA; 20:5(n-3)) and the unusual very long-chain (C(28)) highly unsaturated fatty acid (VLC-HUFA), octacosaoctaenoic acid [28:8(n-3)(4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19, 22, 25)] from the marine dinoflagellate Scrippsiella sp. CS-295/c. Other PUFA purified from various microalgae using this RP-HPLC method to greater than 95% purity included 16:3(n-4), 16:4(n-3), 16:4(n-1) and 18:5(n-3). The number of injections required was variable and depended on the abundance of the desired PUFA-ME, and resolution from closely eluting PUFA-ME, which determined the maximum loading. The purity of these fatty acids was determined by electron impact (EI) GC-MS and the chain length and location of double bonds was determined by EI GC-MS of 4,4-dimethyl oxazoline (DMOX) derivatives formed using a low temperature method. Advantages over silver-ion HPLC for purifying PUFA-ME is that separation occurs according to chain length as well as degree of unsaturation enabling separation of PUFA-ME with the same degree of unsaturation but different chain length (i.e. between 18:5(n-3) and 20:5(n-3)). In addition, PUFA-ME are not strongly adsorbed, but elute earlier than their more saturated corresponding FAME of the same chain length. This method is robust, simple, and requires only a short re-equilibration time. It is a useful tool for preparing milligram quantities of pure PUFA-ME for bioactive screening (as free fatty acids), although many multiple injections may be required for minor PUFA-ME. It also enabled dose-response and structure-activity studies to be carried out. It can be used for the enrichment of low levels of VLC-HUFA-ME to facilitate elucidation of their chemical structure and so is a useful adjunct to EI GC-MS of DMOX derivatives and other techniques such as NMR, which requires milligram quantities of purified compounds.     

Ultra-fast screening of free fatty acids in human plasma using ion mobility mass spectrometry

Free fatty acids are involved in many metabolic regulations in the human body. In this work, an ultra-fast screening method was developed for the analysis of free fatty acids using trapped ion mobility spectrometry coupled with mass spectrometry. Thirty-three free fatty acids possessing different unsaturation degrees and different carbon chain lengths were baseline separated and characterized within milliseconds. Saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated free fatty acids showed different linearities between collision cross-section values and m/z. The establishment of correlations between structures and collision cross-section values provided additional qualitative information and made it possible to determine free fatty acids which were out of the standards pool but possessed the confirmed linearity. The gas-phase separation made the quantitative analysis reliable and repeatable at a much lower time cost than chromatographic methods. The sensitivity was comparable to and even better than the reported results. The method was validated and applied to profiling free fatty acids in human plasma. Saturated free fatty acids abundance in the fasting state was found to be lower than that in the postprandial state, while unsaturated species abundance was found higher. The method was fast and robust with minimum sample pretreatment, so it was promising in the high-throughput screening of free fatty acids.     

Method for evaluating the bioconversion of radioactive polyunsaturated fatty acids by use of reversed-phase liquid chromatography

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography on a thermostatted octadecylsilyl column was used to separate mixtures of labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids (as their methyl esters) formed by successive desaturations and elongations of labelled linoleic (18:2 n - 6) or linolenic (18:3 n - 3) acid by rat liver microsomes. Acetonitrile-water mixtures were used for elution of the esters. Unsaturated and saturated esters were detected by their refractive indices. The order of elution of fatty acid methyl esters in complex mixtures varies as a function of the chain length and unsaturation, analysis temperature, water concentration and solvent flow-rate. The peak areas vary as a function of the unsaturation. Specific radioactivities of 14C-labelled fatty acids and the percentage distribution of radioactivity among fatty acids from complex mixtures can be efficiently determined by collection and direct measurement of the radioactivity in the solvent by liquid scintillation counting. The method can be applied to complete compositional analysis, but is especially useful for determination of specific radioactivities during studies on the metabolic conversion of labelled polyunsaturated fatty acids.     

Determination of lipids in infant formula powder by direct extraction methylation of lipids and fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) analysis by gas chromatography.

Fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) of pure triglyceride standards, oils, and fat from dry matrixes were formed by transesterification using sodium methoxide in methanol-hexane. FAMEs were produced by direct addition of sodium methoxide-hexane to samples and heating to simultaneously extract and transesterify acyl lipids. FAMEs were quantitated by capillary gas chromatography (GC) over a fatty acid concentration range of 0 to 1.7 mg/mL (r > or = 0.9997). Total fat was calculated as the sum of individual fatty acids expressed as triglyceride equivalents, in accordance with nutrition labeling guidelines. Saturated, polyunsaturated, and monounsaturated fats were calculated as sums of individual free fatty acids. Absolute recoveries determined from individual fatty acids in test samples ranged from 69.7 to 106%. Recoveries (relative to the C13:0 internal standard) for individual fatty acids in test samples ranged from 95 to 106%. Reproducibility was constant at each fatty acid level in the reaction mixture (n = 5, coefficient of variation [CV] < 2%). Absolute recovery determined from the sum of total fatty acids in standard reference material (SRM) 1846 (powdered infant formula) was 96.4%. Analysis of SRM 1846 gave results that agreed closely with the certified fat and fatty acid values. Analysis of commercial infant formula gave results that were comparable to those obtained with AOAC Method 996.01. The direct extraction methylation procedure is rapid, and the transesterification of acyl lipids to form FAMEs is complete within 15 min. Classical saponification and refluxing are not required. This method provides FAMEs free of interferences and easily quantitated by GC or confirmed by GC/mass spectrometry (MS). Unambiguous MS identification of individual FAMEs derived from pure standards, SRM 1846, and powdered infant formula product was obtained.     

非水反相高效液相色谱-气相色谱法分析苏子油甘油三酯的组成

苏子油是目前已知α－亚麻酸含量最高的植物物种。首次对苏子油甘油三酯主要组分的组成结构进行了研究。非水反相高效液相色谱和气相色谱的结合为油脂中甘油三酯的分离分析提供了一个简便准确的方法。     

Simultaneous separation and sensitive determination of free fatty acids in blood plasma by high-performance liquid chromatography

Fatty acids are separated by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography after derivatization with a fluorescence reagent, 4-bromomethyl-7-acetoxycoumarin. Each derivative eluted from a column is successively hydrolysed by mixing it with an alkaline solution, and the produced fluorescence is detected. The derivatives of series of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids (C6:0--C20:4) are simultaneously separated by a continuous gradient elution method using a methanol-based solvent containing acetonitrile. The quantitative detection of fatty acids is over a range of 5-1000 pmol per derivatization mixture. This method is applicable to the quantitative analysis of free fatty acids in normal human blood samples and blood samples from diabetic patients. Ten microliters of blood plasma are sufficient to carry out the determination. The analytical results show good recovery and good reproducibility. This sensitive method is very useful for the analysis of fatty acids in very low concentrations.