Determination of Underivatized Long Chain Fatty Acids Using HPLC with an Evaporative Light-Scattering Detector

Profiling the Fatty Acids Content of Ornamental Camellia Seeds Cultivated in Galicia by an Optimized Matrix Solid-Phase Dispersion Extraction

Camellia (genus of flowering plants of fam. Theaceae) is one of the main crops in Asia, where tea and oil from leaves and seeds have been utilized for thousands of years. This plant is excellently adapted to the climate and soil of Galicia (northwestern Spain) and northern Portugal where it is grown not only as an ornamental plant, but to be evaluated as a source of bioactive compounds. In this work, the main fatty acids were extracted from Camellia seeds of four varieties of Camellia: sasanqua, reticulata, japonica and sinensis, by means of matrix-solid phase dispersion (MSPD), and analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) with MS detection of the corresponding methyl esters. MSPD constitutes an efficient and greener alternative to conventional extraction techniques, moreover if it is combined with the use of green solvents such as limonene. The optimization of the MSPD extraction procedure has been conducted using a multivariate approach based on strategies of experimental design, which enabled the simultaneous evaluation of the factors influencing the extraction efficiency as well as interactions between factors. The optimized method was applied to characterize the fatty acids profiles of four Camellia varieties seeds, allowing us to compare their fatty acid composition.

Optimization of Ultrasonic-assisted Extraction of Fatty Acids in Seeds of Brucea Javanica (L.) Merr. from Different Sources and Simultaneous Analysis Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with Charged Aerosol Detection

Our research aimed to optimize the oil extraction process and determine the fatty acids in Brucea javanica (L.) Merr. seeds. The extraction technology was optimized using response surface methodology. A Box-Behnken design was employed to investigate the effects of three independent variables on an ultrasonic-assisted extraction technique, namely, sonication time (X₁: 20–40 min), liquid–solid ratio (X₂: 16:1 mL/g–24:1 mL/g), and ethanol concentration (X₃: 90%–100%). The optimum conditions of sonication time, liquid–solid ratio, and ethanol concentration were 40 min, 24:1 mL/g, and 100%, respectively. The content of fatty acids and the oil yield were 14.64 mg/g and 16.87%, respectively, which match well with the predicted models. The optimum number of extraction times was eventually identified as two. A new rapid method for the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the fatty acids of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oil using HPLC with a charged aerosol detector was described. The fatty acid contents of 14 batches of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oil were determined, and the relevance and difference were analyzed by fingerprint analysis. The fingerprint has five common peaks, and the similarity was greater than 0.991. HPLC analysis represents a specialized and rational approach for the quality identification and comprehensive evaluation of B. javanica (L.) Merr. seed oils.

Development and validation of a GC-FID method for quantitative analysis of oleic acid and related fatty acids

Oleic acid is a common pharmaceutical excipient that has been widely used in various dosage forms. Gas chromatography (GC) has often been used as the quantitation method for fatty acids normally requiring a derivatization step. The aim of this study was to develop a simple, robust, and derivatization-free GC method that is suitable for routine analysis of all the major components in oleic acid USP-NF (United States Pharmacopeia-National Formulary) material. A gas chromatography-flame ionization detection (GC-FID) method was developed for direct quantitative analysis of oleic acid and related fatty acids in oleic acid USP-NF material. Fifteen fatty acids were separated using a DB-FFAP (nitroterephthalic acid modified polyethylene glycol) capillary GC column (30 m×0.32 mm i.d.) with a total run time of 20 min. The method was validated in terms of specificity, linearity, precision, accuracy, sensitivity, and robustness. The method can be routinely used for the purpose of oleic acid USP-NF material analysis.