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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #329612
Research Project: Developing Technologies that Enable Growth and Profitability in the Commercial Conversion of Sugarcane, Sweet Sorghum, and Energy Beets into Sugar, Advanced Biofuels, and Bioproducts

Location: Commodity Utilization Research

Title: The first use of a HPLC system at a Louisiana Sugarcane Factory: What it can do for you

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item STEWART, DAVID - Alma Plantation, Llc
item MONTES, BELISARIO - Alma Plantation, Llc
item Wartelle, Lynda
item MANCIA-CANALES, LUIS - Alma Plantation, Llc
item VERRET, CHARDCIE - Audubon Sugar Institute

Submitted to: Meeting Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2017
Publication Date: 6/22/2017
Citation: Eggleston, G., Stewart, D., Montes, B., Wartelle, L., Mancia-Canales, L., Verret, C. 2017. The first use of a HPLC system at a Louisiana Sugarcane Factory: What it can do for you. In: Proceedings for the Advances in Sugar Crop Processing and Conversion Conference, March 15-18, 2016, New Orleans, Louisiana. p. 353-365.

Interpretive Summary: Alma Plantation sugarcane factory established and operated the first High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system in Louisiana in 2015. With the help of USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and LSU (Louisiana State University) scientists, a HPLC method was established to measure mannitol, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in sugar products in only 10 min. Training was essential for operations, analyses, and interpretation of results. A simplified chart was provided to the factory staff to help interpret the results. The advantages and disadvantages of using a HPLC system at a sugarcane factory are described.

Technical Abstract: Alma Plantation sugarcane factory established and operated the first High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system in Louisiana in 2015. Although many HPLC systems exist, the factory opted for a ThermoFisherTM ion chromatography (anion exchange) system with integrated pulsed amperometric detection. With the help of USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) and LSU (Louisiana State University) scientists, a gradient method was established to measure mannitol, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in 10 min. For the best accuracy, separate and higher dilutions are needed to quantitate sucrose due to its relatively high amount in sugar products (except molasses). Training was essential for operations and analyses. Training was also critical on basic sugar chemistry, Leuconostoc mesenteroides sugarcane deterioration reactions, and color formation in the factory, since no technique is worth anything if the results cannot be interpreted properly. A simplified chart was provided to the factory staff to help interpret the results. The HPLC system allowed the factory to: (i) monitor sucrose losses in “real time”, (ii) rapidly identify dextran via mannitol, (iii) rapidly monitor molasses exhaustion and enzyme applications, and (iv) explain difficult samples more easily. The advantages and disadvantages of using a HPLC system at a sugarcane factory are described.