Abstract

DEVELOPMENT AND OPTIMIZATION OF CHROMATOGRAPHIC SYSTEMS FOR SEPARATION OF FATTY ACIDS BY GAS CHROMATOGRAPHIC METHOD

Bozhidarka Radoslavova Hadzhieva, Dobrina Doncheva Tsvetkova*, Danka Petrova Obreshkova

ABSTRACT

The aim of current study was the optimization of chromatographic conditions for complete separation of methyl esters of fatty acids by modifications of parameters: inlet pressure of carrier gas and temperature gradient. After application of Method 1 (inlet pressure of carrier gas: 10 Psi and temperature gradient: from 60oC to 135°C for mixture of Methyl Laurate, Methyl Palmitate, Methyl Heptadecanoate, Methyl Stearate, Methyl Nonadecanoate, Methyl Behenate, Methyl Lignocerate, Methyl Hexacosanoate, Methyl Palmitoleate, Methyl Oleate, Methyl Linolenate, was obtained good separation for all methyl esters, excluding of critical couple of methyl esters of Stearic acid and Linoleic acid. For optimization of their separation were found the more suitable conditions: inlet pressure of carrier gas was changed from 10 Psi to 15 Psi and temperature gradient was modified from 60°C to 160°C (Method 2). By this method methyl esters of Stearic acid and Linolenic acids were separated completely, but the separation of the esters of Oleic acid and Linoleic acid was not satisfactory. Method 3 include inlet pressure of carrier gas 15 Psi and temperature program from 140°C to 240°C, provide completely separatation of all methyl esters of fatty acids, inluding methyl esters of Oleic acid and Linoleic acid and can be applied for rutine analysis of fatty acids in food additives, after derivatization to methyl esters.

Keywords: Gas chomatography, Omega – 3 fatty acids, separation.