Gas chromatographic separation of cholesteryl esters of fatty acids of different degrees of unsaturation.

Cholesteryl esters prepared from the fatty acid methyl esters of linseed oil, pig liver lipids, and Japanese anchory oil have been separated on the basis of their chain lengths and number of double bonds by gas liquid chromatography on a cyanosiloxane SILAR 10C column. The equivalent chain lengths of cholesteryl esters having acyl groups with 14-22 carbons and 0-6 double bonds are presented. A significant influence of the column temperature on the equivalent chain lengths of the polyenoic fatty acid cholesteryl esters has been found. Separation of the cholestanyl and epicholestanyl esters of linseed oil fatty acids, respectively, under the same conditions is also described.