An improved reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography method for separation of fatty acid methyl esters

Abstract  Resolution of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by thin-layer chromatography often is complicated by co-migration of certain acyl-isomers in heterogeneous mixtures. However, a novel reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography method which employs 10% (wt/vol) silver nitrate in a mobile phase containing acetonitrile/1,4-dioxane/acetic acid (80:20:1, vol/vol/vol) allows one-dimensional resolution of a wide range of acyl-methyl esters. This innovation enables improved separation of saturated FAME ranging from C12 to C22, and geometric isomers of C14 to C22 unsaturated FAME by thin-layer chromatography.