[A rapid method for determination of oil in lecithins (author's transl)]

A rapid method for routine determination of oil in commercial lecithins and similar phospholipid samples has been worked out. This based on the observation that under the described experimental conditions 1 g of phospholipids is completely adsorbed on 45 g silica gel which has previously been disactivated by the addition of 15% water. The lecithin sample is filtered in ethereal solution through a column filled with disactivated silica gel which is subsequently washed with a little ether. The combined ether eluates are evaporated to dryness invacuo and the residue weighed. This residue is the oil part of the sample and is constituted of mono-, di-, and triglycerides, free fatty acids, sterols and their derivatives. The duration for one such determination is about 20 min.