Routine analysis of short-chain fatty acids for anaerobic bacteria identification using capillary electrophoresis and indirect ultraviolet detection

The diagnosis of anaerobes can be difficult to perform, using classical bio chemical tests. Characterization of metabolic end-products such as short-ch ain fatty acids (SCFA) was often used because of their reproducible biosynt hesis. Despite this, SCFA are difficult to study using gas chromatography, due to their high volatility. Furthermore, the treatment of the samples are long and fastidious. Capillary electrophoresis and indirect UV detection ( CE-indirect UV) is a well-known analytical method to study inorganic or org anic anions. In this work, we validate the analysis of SCFA using CE-indire ct UV detection. To do this, we studied the culture media of 98 anaerobic s trains for the detection and quantitation of the following acids: succinic, pyruvic, acetic, lactic, propionic, 2-hydroxybutyric, butyric, 2-hydroxyva leric, isovaleric, isocaproic, and 3-phenylpropionic, We verified that the CE-indirect UV detection analysis of SCFA for taxonomical data can be used as a mean for rapid identification for the study of anaerobes. (C) 2000 Els evier Science B.V. All rights reserved.