A RAPID QUANTITATIVE-DETERMINATION OF PECTIN AND CARBOXYMETHYL CELLULOSE IN SOLUTION USING POLY(HEXAMETHYLENEBIGUANIDINIUM CHLORIDE)

There is a need for an effective wet method for the determination of pectin or carboxymethyl cellulose in solution. The poly(hexamethylenebiguanidinium chloride) complexation method has proved to be of value in this respect. Fears that heterogeneous distributions of the carboxyl groups might prevent a meaningful assay result from being obtained have proved groundless. In fact investigations of the complexation of such polysaccharides by poly(hexamethylenebiguanidinium chloride) have established that the assay procedure can be considered as a means of characterizing pectins or other carboxylated polysaccharides in terms of average charge density, i.e. equivalent weight, or, if the latter is known. determining polycarboxylate concentrations in dilute aqueous media.