THERMAL-DEGRADATION OF CERAMIDES AS STUDIED BY MASS-SPECTROMETRY AND VIBRATIONAL SPECTROSCOPY

The degradation of ceramides type IV induced by thermal treatment up t o 140 degrees C Tvas studied by using electrospray mass spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared photoacoustic spectroscopy and Fourier tran sform Raman spectrocopy. At temperatures above 125 degrees C structura l changes such as cleavage of the C=C bond, destruction of the amide s tructure and variations of the hydrogen bonds were observed in the hea d group of ceramides type ni. The mass spectrometry studies revealed t he formation of free alpha-hydroxy fatty acids due to heat treatment, Degradation of ceramide III was not evident in the temperature range s tudied.