Analysis of Malto Oligosugars

Significance of the Topic

Hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography is a powerful technique for separating polar compounds such as oligosaccharides. Accurate profiling of malto‐oligosugars plays a crucial role in food quality control, nutritional studies and enzymatic process monitoring. Implementing a robust HILIC method improves reproducibility and sensitivity in routine analyses.

Aims and Overview

This study demonstrates the separation of six malto‐oligosugars ranging from maltose to maltoheptaose using a Shimadzu Shim-pack GIST NH2 column. The goal is to achieve baseline resolution of closely related saccharides under isocratic conditions with a refractive index detector.

Methodology and Instrumentation

The analysis employed hydrophilic interaction mode with a binary mobile phase of water and acetonitrile at a 35:65 ratio. Key operational parameters:

• Column: Shim-pack GIST NH2, 250 mm × 4.6 mm I.D., 5 μm particle size
• Flow rate: 1.0 mL/min
• Column temperature: 30 °C
• Detection: Refractive index detector
• Injection volume: 3 μL

Key Results and Discussion

The method achieved clear separation of maltose, maltotriose, maltotetraose, maltopentaose, maltohexaose and maltoheptaose at 1.43 mg/mL each. Retention times increased with chain length, demonstrating the column’s selectivity for oligosaccharide polarity. Peak shapes were symmetrical and showed minimal tailing, indicating efficient mass transfer and stable mobile phase composition.

Benefits and Practical Applications

The described HILIC method offers:

• Rapid and reproducible quantification of malto‐oligosugars
• High resolution of structurally similar carbohydrates
• Compatibility with routine QA/QC in food and pharmaceutical laboratories

Future Trends and Applications

Anticipated developments include coupling HILIC with mass spectrometry for detailed structural analysis, exploring novel amine‐based stationary phases for enhanced selectivity, and miniaturization for high‐throughput screening in industrial settings.

Conclusion

The HILIC method with the Shim-pack GIST NH2 column provides a reliable, efficient approach for separating and quantifying malto‐oligosugars. Its simplicity and reproducibility make it suitable for routine analytical workflows.

References

Shimadzu Corporation. Analysis of Malto Oligosugars. First Edition December 2021. ERAS-1000-0231.