Determination of plasma free fatty acids by high-performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection

Determination of free fatty acids (FFAs) in control serum and human plasma was carried out by highperformance liquid chromatography with electrochemic al detection. Peak height for palmitic, palmitoleic, stearic, oleic, linole ic, and arachidonic acids at a detection potential of -415 mV vs a saturate d calomel electrode showed a linear relation to acid amount in the range 50 -1600 pmol. The present method for plasma free fatty acid determination req uired only 10 mu L of plasma sample. The method is simple and the time for blood pretreatment is short. Change in plasma FFA with blood glucose level was monitored before and after meal ingestion by this method, using one mal e and one female subject. It was possible to rapidly reduce plasma FFA and increase blood glucose subsequent to the meal. The present method is thus s hown to have potential for clinical application. (C) 2000 Academic Press.