A simple and convenient procedure for the hydrogenation of lipids on the micro- and nanomole scale.

A glass tube of a special design has been used as a vessel for the hydrogenation of lipids under slight excess pressure at 50 degrees C. Methyl [1-(14)C]linolenate was quantitatively hydrogenated to methyl stearate in less than 30 min. High yields were obtained on both the micromole scale (mean and standard deviation observed for quadruplicate analyses was 98.2 +/- 4.8%) and the nanomole scale (94.3 +/- 7.0%). The applicability of the method is demonstrated by radio-gas-liquid chromatographic analyses of nanomole amounts of (14)C-labeled fatty acid methyl esters from photosynthetic tissue analyzed before and after hydrogenation.