| Abstract: | Amylose was fractionated according to its molecular weight by high performance gel chromatography using columns of a TSK-GEL PW series. Elution from the columns was monitored with a low-angle laser light scattering photometer and a precision differential refractometer. The following results were obtained indicating that the procedure is highly efficient for characterizing an amylose preparation with respect to its molecular weight: 1) the weight-average molecular weight of lily amylose used as a test material was determined to be 786,000 +/- 26,000 (n = 7); 2) the molecular weight distribution curve of the amylose was worked out from the chromatographic data; and 3) based on the concept of the universal calibration curve, the Mark-Houwink-Sakurada equation of the amylose was presumed to be eta] = 2.27 X 10(-4)M0.62 (dl/g). The technique saves time and sample significantly compared with the conventional ones, and consequently enables the characterization of amylose in aqueous solvents without either the degradation or association peculiar to the amylose molecule. |
