title: Determination of trace levels of fatty acid metal salts by high-performance liquid chromatography with fluorescence prelabeling.
abstract: A simple method is described for picomole determinations of fatty acid metal salts. Fatty acid salts are directly labeled with 4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin in the presence of excess ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid tripotassium salt without any solvent extractions. The fluorescence derivatives of fatty acids are separated by reverse-phase high-performance liquid chromatography followed by fluorometric detection. The response of each fatty acid (C8-C18) calcium salt is linear from 1 to 50 micrograms/ml of samples. The detection limit is about 7 pmol. Good recoveries are obtained for the calcium salts of myrystic acid and soap (C8-C18, C18:1,2). The new method is successfully applied to the study on biodegradation of fatty acids in river water.
mesh_terms: D001673:Biodegradation, Environmental; D002118:Calcium / Q000032:analysis; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis*; D005453:Fluorescence; D005470:Fluorometry; D005618:Fresh Water / Q000032:analysis*; D012492:Salts / Q000032:analysis*; D012915:Soaps / Q000032:analysis; D014468:Umbelliferones; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis*
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids; D012492:Salts; D012915:Soaps; D014468:Umbelliferones; D014867:Water; C000317:4-bromomethyl-7-methoxycoumarin; D002118:Calcium