HIGH-PERFORMANCE CAPILLARY ZONE ELECTROPHORESIS OF CARBOHYDRATES IN THE PRESENCE OF ALKALINE-EARTH METAL-IONS

1-Phenyl-3-methyl-5-pyrazolone (PMP) derivatives of reducing carbohydrates were analyzed by capillary zone electrophoresis with on-tube ultraviolet detection, by using a capillary tube of fused silica and carriers containing alkaline earth metal salts. The direction (from cathode to anode) of electro-osmotic flow was the reverse of that observed for ordinary carriers not containing such metal salts, and the PMP derivatives of isomeric aldopentoses were completely separated from each other by the interaction with these metal ions. The order of mobility for the derivatives of aldopentose isomers was different from that observed in borate buffer, suggesting formation of different types of complexes. Examples of the application of this method to other monosaccharides and several oligosaccharides are also presented. It was demonstrated that this method allows quantification of reducing carbohydrates with high accuracy and high reproducibility.