Quantitative determination of isomeric glycerides, free fatty acids and triglycerides by thin layer chromatography-flame ionization detector system.

Partial glyceride mixtures, which include 1-monoglyceride, 2-monoglyceride, free fatty acid, 1,2-diglyceride, 1,3-diglyceride and triglyceride, could be separated from each other on a 3% boric-acid-impregnated Chromarod S-II (silica gel sintered quartz rod) with either chloroform/acetone (96∶4, v/v) or chloroform/acetone/acetic acid (100∶1∶1, v/v) as the developing solvent mixtures. The components separated on the boric-acid-impregnated rod were automatically quantitated in a hydrogen flame ionization detector (Iatroscan). The relative responses of 1,2-diglyceride, 1,3-diglyceride, free fatty acid and triglyceride were slightly lower than theoretical responses based on weight percentage, whereas 1-monoglyceride and 2-monoglyceride showed slightly higher responses. These responses were converged within a maximal error of 5-10% (SD). Boric-acid-impregnated rods could be used repeatedly, ca. 5 times without any reconditioning procedure.