A polarimetric procedure for determining mannuronic acid/guluronic acid ratios in alginates

Alginic acids and alginates: analytical methods used for their estimation and characterisation of composition and primary structure

“…This all makes the analysis of alginic acid hydrolysates a rather complicated procedure. The method for determining the M/G ratio by polarimetry of the total hydrolysate of alginates in the form of brucine salts 111 has not found wide application, since it requires large quantities of the starting material and its high purity, for ballast carbohydrates significantly distort the results of polarimetric analysis. Therefore, in the overwhelming majority of cases the hydrolysates are analysed following preliminary separation of the hydrolysis products.…”