Monday, May 4, 2009
9-64
Analysis of carbohydrates in microalgal biomass samples with HPAEC-MS
Ting Zheng, Rosanne Slingsby, Srinivasa Rao, and Linda Lopez. Dionex Corporation, 445 Lakeside Drive, Sunnyvale, CA 94088
Efficient production of biodiesel from microalgae requires analysis of all cell products, including carbohydrates, lipids and proteins. While lipid profiling is important, a complete characterization of the carbohydrate breakdown products is essential for nutrient recycle in order to determine which sugars are best absorbed by the algae. Carbohydrate analyses of microalgal biomass often contain complex mixtures of C5 and C6 sugars, requiring a high resolution and high sensitivity technique capable of separating and quantifying trace-level carbohydrates of interest in the presence of multiple interfering compounds.
This poster describes an ion chromatography method for profiling carbohydrates in microalgal whole cell lysates. Centrifugation and solid phase extraction are used to remove plant matrix components including chlorophyll in the sample preparation step. Monosaccharides, disaccharides and alditols are separated at high pH via anion exchange prior to desalting using a carbohydrate membrane desalter. Lithium ion is added post-desalter to allow detection of lithium adducts using electrospray mass spectrometry. Carbohydrate profiles are discussed.