Separation of soy lecithin using gel permeation chromatography

Abstract

Gel permeation chromatography was applied to develop a broad relative molecular mass profile of soy lecithin. A non-aqueous mobile phase and an organic polymer-based stationary phase were found to be necessary in order to achieve interpretable chromatographic elution. Calibration of the column was performed using polystyrene standards. A broad peak was observed at a relative molecular mass of ca. 8000 in the two soy lecithin lots studied. This peak disappeared at sufficiently low concentrations of soy lecithin injected. The results suggested that this peak was due to the formation of reverse micelles or non-covalent aggregates of the phospholipid components and not to polymeric or protein-like high relative molecular mass component(s). No other high molecular mass (> 2000) components were detected under the conditions used.