Isolation of squalene
A column was prepared with 210 g of silica gel and hexane. Silflower oil
(7.0 g) was loaded into the column and eluted with a gradient solvent
from 0 to 2% (v/v) ethyl acetate in hexane. Squalene was eluted before
triglycerides. The solvent was removed by a rotary evaporator and then a
vacuum pump, and squalene was weighed to obtain the yield. Isolation of
squalene was conducted in duplicate. The molecular structure was
confirmed with 1H NMR.