SILVER ION CHROMATOGRAPHY OF TRIACYLGLYCEROLS ON SOLID-PHASE EXTRACTION COLUMNS PACKED WITH A BONDED SULFONIC-ACID PHASE

Solid phase extraction columns packed with a stationary phase with bonded benzene sulphonate groups can be converted to the silver ion form and utilised for the separation of molecular species of triacylglycerols. Stepwise elution with dichloromethane/methyl acetate mixtures gave pure trisaturated‐ and disaturated‐monoene species, together with a mixed fraction containing saturated‐dimonoene and disaturated‐diene; the remaining more highly unsaturated species were recovered by elution with a solvent containing a high proportion of acetonitrile. Fractions were identified and quantified by gas chromatography after transmethylation in the presence of an internal standard. This permitted calculation of the relative proportions of the two species in the third fraction. The procedure was applied to cocoa butter, palm oil and sheep subcutaneous adipose tissue. Copyright © 1990 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd