Calibration of a size-exclusion chromatography system using fractions with defined amylopectin unit chains

A high-performance size-exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) system was successfully calibrated using fractions of debranched amylopectin unit chains, obtained by gel filtration, and with the average chain length of the fractions determined by high-performance anion-exchange chromatography. As a comparison, calibration of the HPSEC system was also performed using maltoheptaose and pullulan standards as reference substances. The relationships between the degree of polymerization and the retention time for the defined amylopectin unit chain fractions and the commercial standards, i.e. maltoheptaose and pullulans, were very similar, indicating similar elution behaviour.