Analysis of wax esters by silver-ion high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry.

Wax esters (WEs), esters of long-chain fatty acids and long-chain alcohols, were analysed by Ag-HPLC/APCI-MS/MS. Two ChromSpher Lipids columns connected in series (a total length of 50cm) and hexane-2-propanol-acetonitrile mobile phases were used to achieve good separation of the molecular species. The chromatographic behaviour of WEs was studied under optimised conditions: retention increased with the number of double bonds and with the temperature (15-35°C); retention times were affected by the double-bond position, trans isomers eluted earlier than cis isomers, and the WEs were partially separated depending on the aliphatic-chain length.