An Application of Liquid Chromatography/Mass Spectrometry to Determination of Fatty Acids with a Wide Range of Carbon Chain Lengths (C12-C54) in Mycobacteria
We recently developed some new methods for the analysis of fatty acids by liquid chromatography/atmospheric-pressure chemical-ionization/mass spectrometry (LC-APCI-MS) using anilide, N-n-propylamide and 3 - bromomethyl - 7 - methoxy -1,4 - benzoxazin - 2 - one derivatives. N-n-propylamide derivatization was applied to the analysis of very long chain fatty acids prepared from Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium lepraemurium using LC-APCI-MS. Fatty acids with a wide range of carbon chain lengths (C12-C54) containing saturated, unsaturated and cyclopropane acids were detected and assigned.