SIMPLE QUANTITATIVE TRANSESTERIFICATION OF LIPIDS .1. INTRODUCTION

A simple and reproducible quantitative method of acid catalysed transe sterification of lipids is described, utilisable for sample quantities from several hundreds of mu g to several hundreds of mg. It consists in heating the sample with a transesterification mixture (chloroform, methanol and acetylchloride) in a sealed glass ampoule or in a vial an d subsequent neutralization of the hydrogen chloride formed with silve r carbonate. After centrifugation the supernatant can be analyzed dire ctly by GC, CC-MS, or also furhter separated by means of TLC, CC or HP LC. Quantitative studies can be carried out especially with lipids con taining short chain fatty acids in their molecule, beginning with 2-me thyl propanoic acid (i-4:0). Description of all significant gas chroma tography peaks of individual components of the transesterification mix ture is presented, before and after the reaction, in relation to the p eaks of methyl esters of short chain fatty acids.