This article introduces the application of gum arabic in the food industry and the analysis method using Agilent PL aquagel-OH 40 and 60 8 µm columns. SEC and PL aquagel-OH columns successfully resolved two batches of gum arabic and demonstrated the difference in their molecular weight distributions.
Gum arabic is a polysaccharide used in the food industry, and its physical properties depend on its molecular weight distribution. This document details how to determine this distribution using aqueous Size Exclusion Chromatography (SEC) with Agilent PL aquagel-OH columns.
The analysis utilizes two batches of gum arabic ('good' and 'bad') separated by a series connection of PL aquagel-OH 60 and PL aquagel-OH 40 columns. The method employs an eluent of 0.01 M NaH2PO4 + 0.2M NaNO3 at pH 7, with a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min and RI detection.
These columns are ideal for determining the molecular weight distribution of water-soluble polymers like gum arabic to assess their physical properties.
The specified flow rate for the separation process is 1.0 mL/min.