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Gas liquid chromatography analysis of the fatty acid composition of fats and oils: A total system for high accuracy
Author(s) -
Craske John D.,
Ban Cecil D.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
journal of the american oil chemists' society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.512
H-Index - 117
eISSN - 1558-9331
pISSN - 0003-021X
DOI - 10.1007/bf02636990
Subject(s) - flame ionization detector , gas chromatography , response factor , raw material , composition (language) , chromatography , operator (biology) , sample (material) , fatty acid methyl ester , chemistry , process engineering , computer science , mathematics , analytical chemistry (journal) , organic chemistry , engineering , biodiesel , linguistics , philosophy , biochemistry , repressor , transcription factor , gene , catalysis
Abstract The generally accepted approach to the analysis of fatty acid methyl esters (FAME) by gas liquid chromatography (GLC) is to analyze a standard mixture of known composition and to determine empirical correction factors for individual FAME. These correction factors, which are a composite of the theoretical flame ionization detector (FID) relative response factors and an empirical factor to correct for any system errors that may be present, then are used to correct the raw peak areas of the individual FAME of the sample undergoing analysis. It is proposed that this approach is fundamentally unsound as a means of generating consistently accurate results. Rather, it has been proven that theoretically calculated FID relative response factors are valid, both for the saturated and unsaturated FAME commonly encountered in edible oils, and that these should be used as the only response factors for the correction of raw peak areas. Thus, the proper approach to the generation of highly accurate results is to optimize both equipment and operator technique so that a correct answer is obtained for a primary standard when these theoretical factors are used, rather than to introduce an empirical correction factor other than the theoretical response factor to take account of faulty practice. Eight facets of equipment operation or operator technique have been identified which must be addressed to optimize accuracy.