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

A preparative-scale chromatographic process for the enrichment and iso lation of closely related compounds such as omega-3 fatty acids from f ish oil supplements is described. An analytical-scale procedure was sc aled up to a preparative level process to provide a simple, rapid, sel ective and sensitive method for the fractionation of these essential a cids. The fish oil triglycerides were saponified into their free fatty acids. The polyunsaturated fatty acids were then enriched through ure a crystallization. Subsequently, the individual omega-3 fatty acids we re 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. T he fractions collected were further analysed by analytical liquid chro matography.