The component acids and glycerides of whale oil

Abstract The component acids of a specimen of Antarctic whale oil, previously 1 separated by means of their lithium and lead salts prior to analysis by ester‐fractionation, have now been resolved by the alternative process of crystallization from solvents at low temperatures. This method, which is preferred on account of speed and case of operation, led to results in good agreement with those obtained earlier by the salt‐separation procedure. When facilities for low‐temperature work are not available, therefore, the preliminary separation by lithium and lead salts, although more lengthy, leads to data of similar accuracy. The component glycerides of the whale oil were re‐investigated by a more thorough segregation than that previously made, 1 by means of crystallization from acetone from ‐‐‐ 60 2 upwards, six groups of glycerides finally being obtained. The results were generally similar to those of the former study, but differed numerically in some respects: the oil contains about 16% of disaturated and 2·5% of trisaturated glycerides, about 30% of tri‐unsaturated glycerides, and about 50% of glycerides containing one saturated acid, one unsaturated C 18 acid, and one of the other homologous unsaturated acids. About 45% of the oil contains acids of the C 20 and C 22 series, and oleic groups are present in over 90% of the oil.