MASS-SPECTROMETRY OF IRRADIATED LINOLENIC ACID

Identification of the products of irradiated micelles of linolenic aci d methyl ester (5 x 10(-2) mol . dm-3) in the presence of O2 has been studied using GC, chemical-ionization (CI/MS) and electron-ionization (EI/MS) mass spectrometry. CI/MS showed better results than EI/MS, whe re 17 products have been identified by the former method. However four products only have been recognized using latter method, this due to t he disappearing of the molecular ion of the relatively high molecular weight products. The products include hydrocarbons, fatty acids, hydro xy compounds, hydroperoxides and epoxides.