Silicic acid‐silver nitrate chromatography as an enrichment technique in fatty acid analysis

Silicic acid‐silver nitrate chromatography as developed by De Vries (8,9) is a valuable tech‐nique for the quantitative determination of satu‐rated fatty acids, and enrichment of fractions which permit the analysis of trace quantities of unusual fatty acids. Odd numbered fatty acids have been found in both saturated and monoene fractions of vegetable oils, such as olive, rapeseed and sunflowerseed. This technique coupled to oxi‐dative degradation is useful for establishing the presence of minor quantities of positional isomers. Samples of purified polyunsaturated fatty acid esters are readily prepared using the technique as displacement chromatography.