The development of methods to analyze fatty acids which require solvent extraction, purification, hydrolysis and derivatization procedures, and which are not lengthy or cumbersome, are in great demand. Jatropha curcas, being non edible and possessing high seed oil content, has been gaining importance as a biodiesel, besides several medicinal applications. Fatty Acid Methyl Esters (FAMEs) preparation is the critical step in biofuel production. In this study, we report simple and efficient methods for FAMEs preparations to screen large number of samples of J. curcas with respect to fatty acid compositions. These procedures are based on methylation of fatty acids using commercial anhydrous HCl/ acetyl chloride and methanol. GC-MS of FAMEs was done and peak percentage area for the most prevalent monounsaturated Fatty Acids i.e. Oleic acid, were found to be 48.61±0.06 by Method 1 and 48.20±0.08 by Method 2. Major polyunsaturated fatty acids accounted for about 26.04±0.23 and 24.07±0.46 percent area respectively for the methods 1 and 2. The FAMEs yields from both methods are comparable, although the procedure used in Method 2 is faster. These values, being in correct range, indicate that these single step extraction procedures are efficient, time saving as well as economical for the derivatization process. These two methods used for studying the fatty acids composition in the seeds can be useful for screening of large number samples and can also facilitate population studies.
