A micro quantitative determination of total fatty acids in biological samples by esterification with radioactive methanol

By the application of the isotope derivative technique with radioactive methanol, a procedure for measuring esterified and nonesterified fatty acids was devised. The present method is ideally suited to measuring large numbers of biological samples when total fatty acid content is required. The wide range of sample size, short time required for measurement, applicability to both free and esterified fatty acids, and possibility of computorized data processing make the present method a valuable supplement to gasliquid chromatography.