The mechanism of adipocere formation 1. Identification and chemical properties of hydroxy fatty acids in adipocere.

The hydroxy fatty acid purified from the adipocere, m.p. 78.5 degrees -79.0 degrees C, was optically inactive and the adipocere contained about 3 to 20% hydroxy fatty acid of the total fatty acids. The melting point of the hydroxy fatty acid was nearly identical with that of the 10-D, L-hydroxyoctadecanoic acid synthesized organically, suggesting that the hydroxy fatty acid in the adipocere appears to be converted non-enzymatically. In the adipocere two hydroxy fatty acid components were detected by gas-liquid chromatography (GLC). The major and minor components were identified as 10-hydroxyoctadecanoic and 10-hydroxyhexadecanoic acids, respectively, by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). These hydroxy fatty acids found in the adipocere appear to play an important role on the formation of adipocere.