Degree of acetylation of heteropolysaccharides

The acetyl groups in polysaccharides and glycoproteins have been determined using 4 N HCl at 120 degrees C for acid hydrolysis. Acetic acid and hexosa mine were determined by high-performance cation-exchange chromatography wit h UV detection and high-performance anion-exchange chromatography with puls ed amperomeric detection, respectively. The method compares well with other procedures and shows an additional advantage of being able to analyze for hexosamine in the same hydrolyzate, thus permitting the degree of acetylati on of hexosamine-containing biopolymers to be determined directly without c orrection for additional components in the material of interest. (C) 2000 E lsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.