MICROWAVE-MEDIATED METHANOLYSIS OF LIPIDS AND ACTIVATION OF THIN-LAYER CHROMATOGRAPHIC PLATES

A technique is described for the methanolysis of fatty acids from acylglycerols with HCl/CH3OH or NaOH/CH3OH using a microwave oven. The esterification is rapid and complete and doer, not result in significant degradation of polyunsaturated fatty acids, even in the presence of oxygen. The fatty acid compositions of intact tissues were also determined using this technique. The microwave oven has also been used to condition normal silica gel and argentation thin-layer chromatographic plates in a fraction of the time normally required.