The oxidation products of linoleic acid were isolated and their removal from fabrics was investigated. Hydroxyoctadecadienoate was isolated by HPLC using acetonitrile/water (8/2 by volume) as a mobile phase at a retention time of 4.6 min. Two dimeric compounds were separated similarly using acetonitrile/tetrahydrofuran/water (6/3/1 by volume) at 6.0 and 9.6 min. All three compounds were quantitated by HPLC, as indicated by the good linear relationship between peak area and content of each.<BR>Removal efficiency from fabrics by SDS decreased in the order of hydroxyoctadecadienoate, linoleate, and two the dimeric compounds. The same order was observed when linoleate and its oxidation products were mixed.