Countercurrent distribution of soybean fatty acid methyl esters biosynthetically labeled with H3 and C14

Fatty acids randomly labeled with C14 and with H3 were prepared by culturing soybean plants (a) in the presence of C14O2, and (b) with H3OH in the nutrient medium. After maturation of the beans, extraction of the oils, and transesterification of the glycerides with methanol, the methyl esters were readily separated by countercurrent distribution to yield fractions of pure linoleate (7 g and 469 μc of Cl4-labeled esters), 97% linolenate, a 2:1 mixture of oleate and palmitate, 83% stearate, and concentrates of C20, and higher acid esters. Over-all recoveries of 90% may be expected from countercurrent distribution.