In situ silylation for the multicomponent analysis of canola oil by-products by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

In this study, a simple method for the determination of free fatty acids, phytosterols, tocopherols, mono and diglycerides present in canola oil deodorizer distillate (DD) and soapstock samples was developed. Analytes were derivatized “in situ” using a mixture of hexamethyldisilazane (HMDS), pyridine and trifluoroacetic acid; separated by gas chromatography (GC) with mass spectrometry (MS) for final detection. Two drying procedures were evaluated for drying deodorizer distillate samples before derivatization: freeze drying and drying at 100 °C for 24 h. The use of high temperatures caused the degradation of tocopherols and phytosterols, while lyophilization did not affect the substances negatively. The chromatographic conditions used in this work allow for the separation and quantification of oleic, linoleic and linolenic acids, monoolein and monolinolein in both samples, and brassicasterol and α-tocopherol in deodorizer distillate samples. MS provided an accurate identification for the compounds which were at very low concentrations (>0.09%). Oleic acid was the most abundant compound in both samples. Deodorizer distillate was an important source of tocopherols which were not detected in the soapstock samples.