Determination of the specific radioactivity of fatty acids separated as their methyl esters by gas–liquid chromatography

Abstract

Free or combined 3H-labeled fatty acids are converted to their methyl-14C esters or, if labeled with 14C, to their methyl-3H esters. For a given specific radioactivity of the methyl group, the nuclide ratio in the esters separated by GLC is a direct measure of the specific radioactivity of the fatty acids, and quantitative collection is unnecessary. Methods of methylation with minimum quantities of labeled methanol, and of deriving nuclide ratios from channel ratios in a scintillation spectrometer, are given.

Keywords

• dual nuclide
• recovery indicator