Simultaneous determination of reducing monosaccharides by capillary zone electrophoresis as the borate complexes of N-2-pyridylglycamines.

Reducing monosaccharides were derivatized to N-2-pyridylglycamines and separated as their borate complexes by capillary zone electrophoresis, using a capillary tube (50 microns i.d., 65 cm) of fused silica containing 200 mM borate buffer (pH 10.5) as carrier. The derivatives of 12 saccharides were completely separated in ca. 25 min, with high resolution, at an applied potential of 15 kV. On-column uv monitoring allowed detection of these derivatives at the 10-pmol level, and quantification by the relative peak area method allowed reproducible determination of these saccharides at least in the concentration range of 10-100 mM in reaction solutions. This method was applied to the determination of the monosaccharide compositions of various carbohydrate materials to demonstrate its usefulness.