Normal-phase HPLC analysis of microbial carotenoids and neutral lipids.

A facile, reproducible HPLC procedure for the analysis of algal and bacterial carotenoids has been developed. By selection of appropriate detection wavelengths, it is possible to determine wavelength ratios that typify selected carotenoids and permit rapid distinction between coeluting pigments with different numbers of conjugated double bonds. The concurrent isolation of individual neutral lipid classes with the carotenoid analysis is also demonstrated.