Quantitative, multicomponent analysis of fatty acids from cholesteryl esters by chemical ionization reconstructed mass chromatography.

Reconstructed mass chromatography using methane as a carrier and reagent gas for chemical ionization gas chromatography-mass spectrometry of the derived methyl esters allows rapid, quantitative microdeterminations of complete cholesteryl ester fatty acid profiles. The sensitivity of this method is consistent with completely specific, multicomponent assay at the picomole level. Introduction of two homologues as internal standards, one into the intact biological specimen and the other after derivatization, provides a measure of the net efficiency of the processes of extraction and derivatization. This procedure may be extended readily to the determination of fatty acid profiles in most biological fluids.