A rapid and sensitive separation of retinol and retinyl palmitate using a small, disposable bonded-phase column:...

A method utilizing small disposable C18 bonded-phase columns has been developed to separate retinol and retinyl palmitate mixtures into their individual components in high yield and purity. Up to ten mixtures can be processed in 1 hr and the columns are reusable after suitable washing. Although the method was developed with standard retinoid mixtures, it was shown that it is also applicable to the assay of the kinetics of both a bile salt-stimulated human milk lipase-catalyzed hydrolysis reaction and acyl transfer reaction. This rapid, accurate, and inexpensive method is complementary to other chromatographic techniques, especially in kinetic investigations, and enables one to detect these fluorescent retinoids in quantities as small as 2 picomoles. --O'Connor, C. J., and B. Yaghi. A rapid and sensitive separation of retinol and retinyl palmitate using a small, disposable bonded-phase column: kinetic applications.