Isolation and characterization of glycerides in human hair lipids by thin-layer and gas chromatography.

Techniques for the quantitative analysis of hair lipids using thin-layer chromatography (TLC) together with a proximate analysis of components in one sample deduced by these criteria are presented. Mono-, di- and triglycerides were separated by TLC using Silica Gel G as adsorbent. The chromatoplates were developed with 98% acetone+2% petroleum ether. Glycerides moved with the solvent front. The requisite portions were scraped off the plates and extracted with acetone and ether. Further TLC, limiting the migration of triglycerides and diglycerides was afforded by use of 95% ethanol as solvent in one direction while monoglycerides moved with the solvent front. For the separation of monoglycerides, chloroform was used as solvent in a second direction. Reference standards and several mixtures were run simultaneously and the spots identified by charring with concentrated sulfuric acid containing dichromate. Additional checking was effected by IR spectra. For determination of glyceride composition, methyl esters of the component fatty acids were prepared by transesterification and submitted to gas chromatography. Comparison of the levels of each of the constituent fatty acids showed no remarkable differences between the three classes of glycerides in one hair lipid pool. Although certain discrepancies in the amounts of a few fatty acid components might be construed for one pool of lipids from hair of white full-headed men (WF-9A) in contrast to findings with two Negro pools, no unequivocal conclusions can be drawn presently.