Simultaneous quantification of straight-chain and branched-chain short chain fatty acids by gas chromatography mass spectrometry.

ABSTRACT: Biomedical research in areas such as metabolic disorders, neuromodulatory, and immunomodulatory conditions involves lipid metabolism and demands a reliable and inexpensive method for quantification of short chain fatty acids (SCFAs). We report a GC-MS method for analysis of all straight-chain and branched-chain SCFAs using pentafluorobenzyl bromide (PFBBr) as derivatization reagent. We optimized the derivatization and GC-MS conditions using a mixture containing all eight SCFA standards, i.e., five straight-chain and three branched-chain SCFAs. The optimal derivatization conditions were derivatization time 90?min, temperature 60?°C, pH?7, and (CH3)2CO:H2O ratio 2:1 (v:v). Comparing the performance of different GC column configurations, a 30?m DB-225ms hyphenated with a 30?m DB-5ms column in tandem showed the best separation of SCFAs. Using the optimized experiment conditions, we simultaneously detected all SCFAs with much improved detection limit, 0.244-0.977??M. We further applied the developed method to measure the SCFAs in mouse feces and all SCFAs were successfully quantified. The recovery rates of the eight SCFAs ranged from 55.7% to 97.9%.

SUBMITTER: He L 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6190712 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature