Triglycerides, absorption phase

Probably the application of system peaks of most practical importance is the detection and quantitation of analytes which cannot be detected directly. Then, an additive that is easy to detect and whose concentration can readily be monitored is added to the mobile phase. In most cases, this method is applied for the detection of compounds that have no UV chromophores in the range of conventional UV absorption photometry (e.g., triglycerides and other lipids, carbohydrates), and a UV detector is used with a conjugated aromatic compoimd as additive. The method has been used also with fluorescence [24] and electrochemical detection [25]. 

Hydrolysis of esterified lipids is essential in order for lipid absorption to occur. Anatomically, lipolysis begins in the stomach where a limited amount of partial hydrolysis of triglycerides provides more polar lipids (fatty acids and partial glycerides) to assist in emulsification. A lingual lipase is thought to be involved in this process. The net result of this gastric phase of fat digestion is the initiation of lipolysis and the preparation of a stable emulsion on which the major pancreatic lipolytic enzymes can act in the milieu of the small intestine. 

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