HPLC in the Analysis of Steroidal Compound Mixtures as Applied to Biocrudes

Abstract

Potential petrocrops are a rich source of hydrocarbon-type steroidal and terpenoidal compounds and waxes. These compounds and waxes can either be tapped or extracted as biocrude from the petrocrops by using different solvents. Upon further processing, they can be converted into liquid fuels, thus providing an alternate source of energy for the future. The reported high-performance liquid chromatographic method for the analysis of steroids is highly versatile, sensitive to the structure of steroidal compounds that are present in biocrudes, and results in fast screening of plant species into potential petrocrops. This method has also been helpful for use in deciding the best solvent sequence for the extraction of biocrude from potential plants. With further exploitation, the method could even yield useful information on the tentative structure of unknown steroids from their respective retention time data.