High-Performance Size-Exclusion Chromatography (HPSEC) is widely used
for the determination of the molar mass and size distribution of biopolymers in aqueous
or organic solvents. Elements of the theory of fractionation by HPSEC, column
calibration and online light scattering detection are given, showing that coupling
HPSEC with multi-angle laser light scattering detection makes it easier to obtain molar
mass distributions since light (MALLS) scattering gives the weight-average molar
mass at each elution volume of the chromatogram. Some applications of HPSEC-MALLS
for the macromolecular characterization of starches, glycogens, dextrans,
celluloses, hemicelluloses, β-glucans, pectins, gums, alginates, carrageenans, chitosans,
lignins, proteins and peptides are also presented.
Keywords: Cellulose, Chitosan, Gum, High-Performance Size-Exclusion
Chromatography, Lignin, Multi-angle laser light scattering, Polysaccharide,
Protein, Starch, Static and dynamic light scattering.
