Mixed Mode Retention and the Use of Competing Acid for the Ag+-HPLC Analysis of Underivatized Conjugated Linoleic Acids

Abstract

Summary Fatty acids (FAs) and fatty acid residues are generally methylated and analyzed by GC. The reasons for this are partly historic and partly because of the sensitivity advantage of flame ionization detection over UV absorption by the carboxylic acid functionality in saturated FAs. However, for strongly absorbing unsaturated acids such as the conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs), the sensitivity advantage is greatly reduced. Hence there seems little reason to waste time and introduce errors associated with methylation. Remarkably, this appears not to have been recognized. In this paper we describe our method development for the analysis of underivatized CLAs by silver ion HPLC separation on the ChromSpher Lipids column. Using mobile phases previously optimized for the analysis of the methylated CLAs, retention is excessive and a competing acid is required. Various combinations of small concentrations of acetic acid (3.0 ‐ 2.5%) with acetonitrile (0.0 ‐ 0.025%), respectively, yield similar resolution and run times. As well as its role as a competing acid, acetic acid acts as a general strong solvent and thus can be used alone as a modifier (without acetonitrile). However, for slightly shorter run times a mobile phase of 2.5% acetic acid and 0.025% acetonitrile was chosen as the optimum mobile phase for analysis. The separation of the free CLAs is clearly superior to those previously published and obtained in this study for the methylated CLAs. The additional specific strong interactions of the underivatized CLAs seem certain to be due to hydrogen bonding between the CLA carboxylic acid functionality and the large number of residual silanols on the surface of the silica support of the stationary phase.