ARS | Publication request: Identification of Diacylglycerols and Triacylglycerols Containing Trihydroxy Fatty Acids in Castor Oil and the Regiospecific Identification of Triacylglycerols by Mass SpecTrometry

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: October 16, 2009
Publication Date: May 16, 2010
Citation: Lin, J.T. 2010. Identification of Diacylglycerols and Triacylglycerols Containing Trihydroxy Fatty Acids in Castor Oil and the Regiospecific Identification of Triacylglycerols by Mass SpecTrometry. 101st American Oil Chemists' Society (AOCS) Annual Meeting and Expo.

Interpretive Summary: Ricinoleate, a monohydroxy fatty acid in castor oil, has many industrial uses such as the manufacture of bio-products, lubricant, plastics, paints and cosmetics. Trihydroxy fatty acids have different physical properties, e. g., viscosity, pouring point, from those of ricinoleate, and can be used in manufacturing bio-products with different physical properties. We report here the identification of triacylglycerols containing trihydroxy fatty acids in castor oil. The structures of the trihydroxy fatty acids were proposed. The trihydroxy fatty acids can be isolated from castor oil for industrial uses.

Technical Abstract: Ricinoleate, a monohydroxy fatty acid in castor oil, has many industrial uses. Dihydroxy and trihydroxy fatty acids can also be used in industry. We report here the identification of diacylglycerols and triacylglycerols containing trihydroxy fatty acids in castor oil. The C18 HPLC fractions of castor oil were used for mass spectrometry of lithium adducts to identify trihydroxy fatty acids and the acylglycerols containing trihydroxy fatty acids. Two diacylglycerols identified were triOH18:1-diOH18:1 and triOH18:0-OH18:1. Four triacylglycerols identified were triOH18:1-OH18:1-OH18:1, triOH18:0-OH18:1-OH18:1, triOH18:1-OH18:1-diOH18:1 and triOH18:0-OH18:1-diOH18:1. The structures of these two newly identified trihydroxy fatty acids were proposed as 11,12,13-trihydroxy-9-octadecenoic acid and 11,12,13- trihydroxyoctadecanoic acid. The locations of these trihydroxy fatty acids on the glycerol backbone were almost 100% at the sn-1,3 positions. The content of these acylglycerols containing trihydroxy fatty acids was at the levels of about 1% or less on castor oil.