PREPARATIVE-SCALE LIQUID-CHROMATOGRAPHIC SEPARATION OF OMEGA-3-FATTY-ACIDS FROM FISH-OIL SOURCES

A preparative-scale chromatographic process for the enrichment and isolation of closely related compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids from fish oil supplements is described. An analytical-scale procedure was scaled up to a preparative level process to provide a simple, rapid, selective and sensitive method for the fractionation of these essential acids. The fish oil triglycerides were saponified into their free fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acids were then enriched through urea crystallization. Subsequently, the individual omega-3 fatty acids were fractionated on a Waters PrepPak unit consisting of six cartridges (mu Bondapak phenyl silica) using an isocratic ternary mobile phase of acetonitrile-water-tetrahydrofuran (45:35:20, v/v/v). The separation was accomplished within 60 min without any recycling of the solutes. The fractions collected were further analysed by analytical liquid chromatography.