Ion-pair LC of sugars at alkaline pH and pulsed electrochemical detection

Summary Sugars, sugar acids, amino sugars and oligomers are separated as ion-pairs with hydrophobic counter ions at alkaline pH using PLRP-S and Hypercarb as solid phases. Important parameters for regulation of retention and selectivity are nature and concentration of the counter ion, pH (hydroxide concentration) and temperature. Reversals in the elution order wer obtained in some cases. Oligosaccharides are highly retained in these systems. The addition of organic modifiers to the mobile phase for elution of the solutes were found to interfere with the pulsed electrochemical detection (PED). Anions added to the mobile phase compete with the solutes for ion-pair retention, hence, decreasing the capacity factors, and phosphate could be used for this purpose in the separation of maltooligomers (M2-M10) from corn syrup.