Simplified methods for preparation of microbial fatty acids for analysis by gas chromatography with electron-capture detection.

Analysis of bacterial metabolites and constituents by gas chromatography (GC) with frequency-pulsed electron-capture detection (FPECD) has been suggested as an approach to rapid identification of infection in man. In such methods conversion of analytes to electrophoric derivatives is obligatory. Present methods for analysis of microbial carboxylic acids by GC-FPECD use trichloroethylation. In order to simplify and possibly automate such sample preparation procedures, we investigated pentafluorobenzylation via extractive alkylation and via solid-supported reagents. The sensitivity in terms of minimum amounts of bacteria detectable were determined for the trichloroethyl and pentafluorobenzyl derivatives and results from solid-supported reagents were compared to extractive alkylation.