SILVER-COMPLEXATION LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHY FOR FAST, HIGH-RESOLUTION SEPARATIONS OF TRIACYLGLYCEROLS

A high-speed, high-resolution approach to silver-complexation chromatography of triacylglycerols in vegetable fats and cocoa butter equivalents is described. Trisaturated and major isomeric unsaturated species with up to five double bonds are eluted within 12 min. A simple change of solvent composition enables elution of species with up to nine double bonds within the same time-frame. Throughput is three samples/hr (70 samples/24 hr with an automatic system). Short-term reproducibility of analytical data for the system gives standard deviations similar to those obtained in practice for high-resolution capillary gas chromatography of triacylglycerols, and quantitative accuracy is good. Details of column preparation, solvent gradient and system operation are given.