An Alternative Method for the Calculation of Equivalent Chain Length or Carbon Number of Fatty Acid Methyl Esters in Gas Chromatography

Abstract

The carbon number or equivalent carbon number (ECN) of fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) separated on a 30-m x 0.32-mm-i.d. Omegawax 320 capillary column is calculated directly from the retention data. When the described equation is used to identify FAMEs in a mixture of FAMEs from rambutan and para-rubber seed oils, the calculated ECN values are very close to the widely accepted equivalent chain length values described in the literature. Hence, the equation can probably be used as an identification tool for FAMEs.