A Novel Solvent Strategy for Sep-Pak C18 Elution of Hydrophobic Compounds: Applications to Lacinilenes and Cadalenes from Cotton Bract

Abstract

Lacinilene C 7-methyl ether (an implicated causative agent of byssinosis), lacinilene C, and their immediate cadalene precursors were extracted from dried green cotton bracts into water. These compounds were then quantitatively adsorbed from water and concentrated on SEP-PAK C₁₈ Cartridges. The lacinilenes, and their cadalene precursors were then separated on a μBONDAPAK C₁₈ column. A new sample preparation strategy for SEP-PAK C₁₈ Cartridges was developed, in which the loaded Cartridge was dried with N₂ gas and eluted with the most non-polar solvent that would totally release the compound(s) in question. Consequently, due to insolubility, many adsorbed undesirable compounds were not eluted. This strategy is highly selective and allows for a quick, convenient, yet quantitative recovery, and should have wide applicability to the isolation of hydrophobic compounds.