NEGATIVE-ION FAST-ATOM-BOMBARDMENT TANDEM MASS-SPECTROMETRY FOR CHARACTERIZATION OF SULFATED UNSATURATED DISACCHARIDES FROM HEPARIN AND HEPARAN-SULFATE

Negative-ion fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry has been u sed in the characterization of non-, mono-, di- and trisulfated disacc harides from heparin and heparan sulfate. The positional isomers of th e sulfate group of monosulfated disaccharides were distinguished from each other by negative-ion fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectra, which provide an easy way of identifying the positional isomers. This fast atom bombardment collision induced dissociation mass spectrometry /mass spectrometry technique was also applied successfully to the char acterization of di- and trisulfated disaccharides.