Unit 3 Lipids

1. Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acid Fish oils are rich sources of omega-3 and
polyunsaturated fatty acids and omega-6 fatty acids are relatively abundant in corn and
sunflower oils. Write the key convention and classify the following fatty acids as omega-3,
omega-6, or neither:
(a) Linolenic acid
(b) Linoleic acid
(c) Arachidonic acid
(d) Oleic acid
(e) cis-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid
(f) Eicosapentaenoic acid
(g) Docosahexaenoic acid
(h) Stearic acid
Linolenic acid omega-3
Linoleic acid omega-6
Arachidonic acid omega-6
Oleic acid neither
cis-8,11,14-eicosatrienoic acid omega-6
Eicosapentaenoic acid omega-3
Docosahexaenoic acid omega-3
Stearic acid neither

2. Catalytic Hydrogenation of Vegetable Oils Catalytic hydrogenation, used in the food

industry, converts double bonds in the fatty acids of the oil triacylglycerols to –CH 2–CH2–.
How does this affect the physical properties of the oils?
- Catalytic hydrogenation breaks double bonds, which leads to an increase in melting point
so that they cannot easily be melted
- Catalytic hydrogenation combats the oxidative cleavage – causes fats to become rancid,
which could help to store food for longer
- Catalytic hydrogenation causes fats to harden so that they are usually solid at room
temperature
3. Fat/oil and Cardiovascular Disease Why does the American Heart Association
recommend the use of canola oil or olive oil rather than coconut oil in cooking?
- Because, in comparison to coconut oil, they have more monounsaturated fats and less
saturated fat. Saturated fats can increase the risk of heart disease by raising LDL (bad)
cholesterol levels. Conversely, monounsaturated fats can help raise total cholesterol levels
and decrease LDL cholesterol. Note that 90% of the fat in coconut oil is still saturated,
meaning it still contains a lot of saturated fats. Olive oil has 14% saturated fat, compared to
canola oil's 7%. The AHA recommends against using coconut oil as your main cooking oil
because of its high saturated fat level, even if it may have some possible health benefits
including being an excellent source of medium-chain fatty acids.
4. Alkali Lability of Triacylglycerols A common procedure for cleaning the grease trap in
clothes or dishes is to add a product that contains sodium hydroxide. Explain why this
works.

- Sodium hydroxide is a powerful addition to these products because it’s corrosive. It reacts
with moisture in the air to generate heat, which allows it to alter the state of fats and grease
to the point that they dissolve.

5. Role of Wax Succulent plants from arid regions generally have waxy surface coatings.
Suggest why such a coating is valuable for the survival of the plant.

- The waxy surface coating is a barrier that prevents loss of water.

6. Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Components of Membrane Lipids A common

structural feature of membrane lipids is their amphipathic nature. For example, in
phosphatidylcholine, the two fatty acid chains are hydrophobic and the phosphocholine head
group is hydrophilic. For each of the following membrane lipids, name the components that
serve as the hydrophobic and hydrophilic units: (a) phosphatidylethanolamine; (b)
sphingomyelin; (c) galactosylcerebroside; (d) ganglioside; (e) cholesterol

Hydrophobic unit Hydrophilic units

Phosphatidylethanolamine 2 fatty acids
Sphingomyelin Sphingosine + 1 fatty acid
Galactosylcerebroside Sphingosine + 1 fatty acid
Ganglioside Sphingosine + 1 fatty acid
Cholesterol Steroid nucleus + alkyl side
chain
Phosphoethanolamine
Phosphocholine
D-galactose
Oligosaccharide head group
Hydroxyl group at position -
3

7. Ninhydrin to Detect Lipids on TLC Plates Ninhydrin reacts specifically with primary
amines to form a purplish-blue product. A thin-layer chromatogram of rat liver
phospholipids is sprayed with ninhydrin, and the color is allowed to develop. Which
phospholipids can be detected in this way?

- Phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylserine: they are the only phospholipids that

have primary amine groups that can react with ninhydrin