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

Positive-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 su lfate groups of monosulfated disaccharides have been distinguished fro m each other by positive-ion fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectra , which provide an easy way of identifying the positional isomers. The fast atom bombardment collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometr y/mass spectrometry technique was also applied successfully to the cha racterization of di- and trisulfated disaccharides.