Separation of fatty acids or methyl esters including positional and geometric isomers by alumina argentation thin-layer chromatography.

This paper describes novel and rapid thin-layer chromatography procedures for the analysis of fatty acids and methyl esters using silver-impregnated alumina sheets. These techniques are known in most laboratories, and the equipment is readily available. The fatty acid method allows a separation of petroselinic (C18:1 delta 6c), oleic (C18:1 delta 9c), elaidic (C18:1 delta 9t), erucic (C22:1 delta 13c), and brassidic acids (C22:1 delta 13t), and the methyl ester method gives an excellent resolution with respect to the number, configuration, and position of the unsaturated centers. Sufficient separation for the subsequent ozonolysis and chromatographic quantification of isomeric C18 and C22 fatty acid methyl esters is obtained with both methods.