GAS-CHROMATOGRAPHY FOURIER TRANSFORM-INFRARED SPECTROMETRY OF FATTY-ACIDS - NEW APPLICATIONS WITH A DIRECT DEPOSITION INTERFACE

Infrared spectroscopy is a suitable spectroscopic method to differenti ate geometric Z and E isomers of unsaturated compounds. A direct-depos ition Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR), coupled to a gas chromatograph, was used successfully to analyze with a high sensitivi ty traces of C18:1 fatty acid methyl ester (FAME) isomers. It could al so conclusively distinguish between isomers of conjugated diunsaturate d FAME. The achievable sensitivity of this direct-deposition device ma kes possible accurate FAME mixture analyses that are not currently att ainable with the more conventional light-pipe interface.