YSIS OF D-MIWNOSE

The quantitative analysis of a specific sugar in the presence of other carbo-hydrates has always been an involved and time-consuming process. Only with the advent of the glucose oxidase-peroxidase calorimetric methodIs has it been possible to analyze routinely for D-glucose in the presence of other sugars. Similarly, D-galactose can be estimated by using galactose oxidase4. Both of these oxidases show a high degree of specificity for their respective substrates and have proved to be extremely efficient analytical tools. Enzymic procedures are also available for several other carbohydrates (cf- ref. 5). The determination of D-mannose, especially in a mixture of sugars, remains a tedious process. It usually involves paper-chromatographic or-electrophoretic separation of the components of the mixture, followed by elution of developed chromophores obtained by a spray reagent, or alternatively, by elution of the appropriate sugar followed by calorimetric or reductometric analysis (cfI ref. 6). Gas-liquid chromatography has also found wide application in the analysis of sugar mixtures, although this usually requires further analysis of the various anomeri