Dichloromethane as a Solvent for Lipid Extraction and Assessment of Lipid Classes and Fatty Acids from Samples of Different Natures

• Published in: Journal of agricultural and food chemistry Vol. 56; no. 12; pp. 4297 - 4303
• Main Authors: Cequier-Sánchez, Elena, Rodríguez, Covadonga, Ravelo, Ángel G, Zárate, Rafael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Washington, DC American Chemical Society 25.06.2008
• Subjects: Analytical Methods; Animals; Bass; Biological and medical sciences; Chloroform; cod roe; dichloromethane; Echium; Echium - chemistry; Echium acanthocarpum; Echium virescens; extraction; extracts; fatty acid assessment; fatty acid composition; Fatty Acids - analysis; Fish and seafood industries; fish fillets; fish flesh; fish roe; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Gadus morhua; lipid classes; lipid composition; lipid content; lipids; Lipids - analysis; Lipids - isolation & purification; Methanol; Methylene Chloride; Muscles - chemistry; new methods; nursery crops; ornamental plants; Plant Roots - chemistry; quantitative analysis; roots; seeds; Seeds - chemistry; Solvents; fish flesh; lipids; Chloroform; cod roe; dichloromethane; Echium; lipid classes; fatty acid assessment; Edible fish; Sample; Lipids; Solvent extraction; Fatty acids; Echlum; Cod; Flesh
• ISSN: 0021-8561; 1520-5118
• DOI: 10.1021/jf073471e

The usefulness of the solvent mixture dichloromethane/methanol for lipid extraction and the determination of lipid classes and fatty acids in samples of different natures was conducted. Two different extraction methods were compared, one containing chloroform/methanol, another containing dichloromethane/methanol. Total lipid extraction showed some minor differences but no variation in the lipid classes. Regarding the fatty acid profile, in Echium virescens seeds, 17 major fatty acids could be identified and quantified, and all were equally extracted when either solvent system was employed. In Echium acanthocarpum hairy roots, 17 major fatty acids were quantified, showing some statistical differences for one cell line in favor of chloroform. The data obtained from the liquid nutrient medium were also comparable. The cod roe sample showed 31 major fatty acids, showing no statistical differences between the two solvent systems. Contrarily, the CH2Cl2 method was able to extract 31 main fatty acids found in European seabass dorsal muscle more efficiently than the CHCl3 method. The results indicate that, for lipid extraction and fatty acid assessment, dichloromethane/methanol can readily replace the commonly employed chloroform/methanol, thus avoiding the major health, security, and regulatory problems associated with the use of chloroform.