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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #259676

Title: Analysis of biomass sugars and galacturonic acid by gradient anion exchange chromatography and pulsed amperometric detection without post-column addition

Author
item Widmer, Wilbur

Submitted to: Biotechnology Letters
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/11/2010
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A method for analysis of sugar in raw, hydrolyzed, or fermented biomass by liquid chromatography was modified so fewer reagents are required and also give an improved baseline. The sample preparation required is a simple dilution to provide a water extract which is easy to accomplish. The method provides good resolution of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, xylose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, cellobiose, and galacturonic acid.

Technical Abstract: While the most accurate method for analysis of sugars in biomass is based on gas chromatography of trimethylsilane or alditol acetate derivatives of sugars, the derivation method is time consuming and laborious. In comparison, sample preparation for sugar analysis of hydrolyzed biomass samples using liquid chromatography is a simple dilution with water. A gradient HPLC method using high performance anion-exchange chromatography with a Dionex PA-1 column and pulsed-amperometric detection, and modified to reduce analysis time from 75 to 40 min, was further improved so that post column addition was no longer required to stablilize the baseline using a pulsed- amperometric detector with mobile phase gradients. The method provides good resolution of arabinose, rhamnose, galactose, xylose, glucose, fructose, sucrose, cellobiose, and galacturonic acid in both standards and hydrolyzed citrus waste materials. By changing the waveform used with the PAD detector, the requirement for post column addition was eliminated while maintaining a stable baseline.