TABLE 2B.
Level-dependent shorthand notation for examples of fatty acids
| Subclass | Species Levela,b | DB-Position Levelc | Full Structure Leveld | Complete Structure Level (= Common Name)e |
| Straight-chain FA | FA 12:0 | Laurate | ||
| FA 14:0 | Myristate | |||
| FA 16:0 | Palmitate | |||
| FA 16:1 | FA 16:1(9) | FA 16:1(9Z) | Palmitoleate | |
| FA 18:0 | Stearate | |||
| FA 18:1 | FA 18:1(9) | FA 18:1(9Z) | Oleate | |
| FA 18:1 | FA 18:1(11) | FA 18:1(11E) | trans-Vaccenate | |
| FA 18:2 | FA 18:2(9, 12) | FA 18:2(9Z,12Z) | Linoleate | |
| FA 18:3 | FA 18:3(9, 12, 15) | FA 18:3(9Z,12Z,15Z) | α-Linolenate | |
| FA 18:3 | FA 18:3(6, 9, 12) | FA 18:3(6Z,9Z,12Z) | γ-Linolenate | |
| FA 18:4 | FA 18:4(6, 9, 12, 15) | FA 18:4(6Z,9Z,12Z,15Z) | Stearidonate | |
| FA 20:0 | Arachidate | |||
| FA 20:3 | FA 20:3(8, 11, 14) | FA 20:3(8Z,11Z,14Z) | dihomo-γ-Linolenate | |
| FA 20:3 | FA 20:3(11, 14, 17) | FA 20:3(11Z,14Z,17Z) | ||
| FA 20:3 | FA 20:3(5, 8, 11) | FA 20:3(5Z,8Z,11Z) | Mead acid | |
| FA 20:4 | FA 20:4(5, 8, 11, 14) | FA 20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z) | Arachidonate | |
| FA 20:5 | FA 20:5(5, 8, 11, 14, 17) | FA 20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z) | Eicosapentaenoate | |
| FA 22:0 | Behenate | |||
| FA 22:6 | FA 22:6(4, 7, 10, 13, 16, 19) | FA 22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z) | Docosahexaenoate | |
| FA 24:0 | Lignocerate | |||
| FA 24:1 | FA 24:1(15) | FA 24:1(15Z) | Nervonate | |
| FA 32:5 | FA 32:5(14, 17, 20, 23, 26) | FA 32:5(14Z,17Z,20Z,23Z,26Z) | Dotriacontapentaenoic acid; FA 32:5(n-6) | |
| FA 34:5 | FA 34:5 (19, 22, 25, 28, 31) | FA 34:5(19Z,22Z,25Z,28Z,31Z) | Tetratriacontapentaenoic acid; FA 34:5(n-3) | |
| FA 36:6 | FA 36:6(18, 21, 24, 27, 30, 33) | FA 36:6(18Z,21Z,24Z,27Z,30Z,33Z) | Hexatriacontahexaenoic acid; FA 36:6(n-3) | |
| Fatty acyl ester | FA 19:0 | FA 18:0;1OMe | Methyl stearate | |
| Methyl branched | FA 20:0 | FA 16:0;3Me,7Me,11Me,15Me | FA 16:0;3Me,7Me[R],11Me[R],15Me (Phytanate) | |
| Hydroxy | FA 18:0;O | FA 18:0;9OH | FA 18:0;9OH[S] | |
| Oxo | FA 11:1;Ob | FA 11:0;9oxo | FA 11:0;9oxo | |
| Cyclopropane | FA 19:1 | FA 19:0;[11-13cy3:0] | Lactobacillic acid | |
| Cyclopropene | FA 19:2 | FA 19:0;[9-11cy3:1(9)] | Sterculic acid | |
| Cyclopentene | FA 18:3 | FA 18:1(6Z);[14-18cy5:1(15)] | Gorlic acid |
Uncharged molecular mass measured by low resolution MS of corresponding m/z from carboxylate anion (electrospray ionization) or molecular ion species (radical cation by EI).
Annotation based on the assumption of a straight-chain fatty acyl plus functional groups based on exact mass measurements using a high-resolution mass spectrometer of fatty acyl indicating ion.
Positions of DBs determined by independent techniques such as ozonolysis (8) or photochemical derivatization (9).
Shorthand notation applies only when exact location and nature of functional group(s) are determined by specific fragment ions obtained by derivatization and GC/MS or specific product ions in a MS/MS experiment.
Validated assay is required to employ trivial names that engages appropriate internal standard, proper assessment of signal-to-noise, and a chromatographic based separation of potential isomers (GC or HPLC).