New electrochemical detection method in high-performance liquid chromatography for determining free fatty acids Original Research Article

A new electrochemical detection (ECD) method in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was developed with the objective of providing a sensitive, simple, and rapid means for determining higher fatty acids. This article reviews the assessment of this method for determining free fatty acids (FFAs) in fats and oils, and in human plasma to demonstrate its usefulness from a practical viewpoint. This method requires small sample amounts and the procedure is quite simple without derivatization of fatty acids, leading to a considerable reduction in analysis time. The method consequently permits time course measurements of free fatty acid levels in human plasma. The present method is, thus, shown to have potential for a wide range of applications in food and clinical chemistry.