Densitometric identification of triglycerides separated by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography

A method to identify triglycerides, separated by reversed-phase thin-layer chromatography on silanized Kieselguhr G layers using densitometric data only, is described. Different triglyceride mixtures, containing components with partition numbers in the range 44-56, have been scanned. A linear relationship between the partition numbers of the zones and the maximum-to-maximum distances of the corresponding peaks, relative to the peak of the zones with partition number 48, has been found. The validity of this equation has been confirmed experimentally for triglycerides with partition numbers in the range 30-46. The method allows the identification of the triglyceride components of a mixture by their partition numbers, provided only one partition number is known or can be determined independently. An example concerning sunflower oil triglycerides is presented.