Definitive identification of fatty acid constituents in marine mammal tissues

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
• Main Authors: Wetzel, D L, Reynolds III, J E
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 2004
• Subjects: Aquatic Science; Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics; Balaena mysticetus; bowhead whale
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/f04-021; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/f04-021

Analyses of fatty acid constituents in a sample of bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) blubber were conducted using a method that has not been applied before to studies of lipids in marine mammals. It involves creation and analysis of nitrogen (picolinyl) ester derivatives of the fatty acids followed by combined gas chromatography – mass spectrometry for verification of structures. Use of this approach allowed the structural confirmation of 45 different fatty acids in the blubber sample. The traditional method of methyl ester derivatization of fatty acids followed by gas chromatography – mass spectrometry analyses provides more component characterization than analyses by gas chromatography – flame ionization detection, but not enough to effectively differentiate double bond isomers or branched compounds. Although the novel approach is time intensive, we recommend that it be employed for studies where the precise identification and confirmation of fatty acids is important.