Capillary supercritical fluid chromatography of archaebacterial glycerol tetraether lipids

The analysis of bacterial glycerol tetraethers by capillary supercritical fluid chromatography is described. Complete separation of ethers, differing only by the number of cyclopentane rings present in the isopranyl side chains could be achieved. On a 50% methylphenylpolysiloxane coated capillary, the ethers eluted in the order of increasing cyclopentane content. The analysis revealed the presence of two previously unreported structural isomers of glycerol tetraethers. The method can be used qualitatively and quantitatively as a fast and sensitive screening test for such compounds in living organisms and sedimentary organic matter.