title: Separation of neutral saccharide mixtures with capillary electrochromatography using hydrophilic monolithic columns.
abstract: While developing a combination of capillary electrochromatography (CEC) with tandem mass spectrometry (MS) for the benefit of characterizing complex oligosaccharide mixtures, we needed highly efficient CEC columns operating in an "MS-friendly" mode. We demonstrate here novel types of polar, monolithic CEC columns that separate effectively complex mixtures of saccharides with the use of mobile phases containing acetonitrile/dilute ammonium formate buffers. Using the positive-ion mode of detection for neutral saccharides, the detection conditions were optimized down to the low-femtomole sensitivities with the use of an ion trap mass spectrometer. This column technology provides a nearly universal system that can separate a wide range of carbohydrates: mono- and oligosaccharides with the intact reducing end, as well as saccharide alditols. Even the anomers formed due to mutarotation could be resolved with a high content of organic phase.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405, USA.
authors.forename: Amy H
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Que
authors.forename: Milos V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Novotny
mesh_terms: D002241:Carbohydrates / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D002627:Chemistry, Physical; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D019075:Electrophoresis, Capillary; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D036103:Nanotechnology; D021241:Spectrometry, Mass, Electrospray Ionization; D013402:Sugar Alcohols / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D002241:Carbohydrates; D007202:Indicators and Reagents; D013402:Sugar Alcohols