In this study, body lipids of a freshwater snail Bithynia tentaculata collected from Sultanköy in Mardin in April
2007 were fractionated by thin layer chromatography (TLC). Total lipids, fractionated lipids such as phospholipids
and neutral lipids of whole snail were analyzed by capillary gas chromatography and gas chromatography-mass
spectrometry. In the analysis, saturated fatty acids such as C12:0, C14:0, C15:0, C16:0, C17:0, C18:0;
monounsaturated fatty acids such as C16:1ω7, C18:1ω9, C20:1ω9 and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as C18:2ω6,
C18:3ω3, C20:2ω6, C20:4ω6 and C20:5ω3 acids were found. Odd-numbered fatty acids and C20 polyunsaturated
fatty acids structures were confirmed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The percentages of these
components in lipid fractions were compared with each other. In the percentages, C16:0, C16:1ω7, C18:1ω9,
C18:3ω3 and C20:4ω6 acids were the most abundant fatty acids. Some proportional differences were found
among the phospholipid, neutral lipid and total lipid. For instance, the highest level of saturated fatty acid
(45.1%) and the highest level of monounsaturated fatty acids (28.0%) were found in neutral lipid whereas; the
highest level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (46.5%) was found in phospholipid fraction. Comparing with total
and neutral lipids, the percentages of C20:4ω6 and C20:5ω3 acids, precursors of eicosanoids, were found
apparently high in phospholipid fraction.
