Analyses of lipids and oxidation products by partition chromatography. Fatty acid hydroperoxides

A liquid partition chromatographic method was developed to isolated and determine hydroperoxides in autoxidized fatty acids or their methyl esters. By the use of benzene containing 2 to 4% methanol as the mobile solvent, the hydroperoxides were separated from unoxidized fatty acids or methyl esters and from secondary and polymeric decomposition products. In the analyses of oxidized fatty acids, diethyl ether was necessary to elute the secondary decomposition products. Saponification of autoxidized fatty esters destroyed the peroxides as determined iodometrically, but the resulting acids contained a fraction which was eluted in the same position as hydroperoxide acids. Evidence showed that this fraction is a monomeric hydroxy fatty acid containing conjugated cis-traux and trans-trans unsaturation. Fatty ester hydroperoxides were isolated chromatographically in yields and purity comparable to those reported in the literature by countercurrent distribution. The concentrations of methyl linoleate hydroperoxide determined chromatographically were smaller than indicated by the peroxide value and diene conjugation of the autoxidized methyl linoleate. This is a laboratory of the Northern Utilization Research and Development Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.