Capillary Liquid Chromatographic and Automated MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometric Analysis of Complex Carbohydrate Mixtures

Abstract

Reproducible microbore reversed-phase HPLC methodology has been developed, suitable for the analysis of carbohydrates derivatized with 2-aminoacridone. The high extinction coefficient of this label at around 260 nm, combined with the use of a new diode array microflow cell, has allowed detection at femtomole levels. Analytes were also robotically collected onto MALDI targets, and mass spectrometric information was acquired for carbohydrate present at low picomole levels. This technology was successfully applied to mixtures of linear and branched oligosaccharides, including sialylated species.