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ARS Home » Southeast Area » New Orleans, Louisiana » Southern Regional Research Center » Commodity Utilization Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #347057
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: How to use and interpret the results from a high performance liquid chromatography system at a sugarcane factory

Author
item Eggleston, Gillian
item STEWART, DAVID - Alma Plantation, Llc
item APONTE, FERNANDO - Alma Plantation, Llc
item MONTES, BELISARIO - Alma Factory Plantation
item Boone, Stephanie
item VERRET, CHARDCIE - Audubon Sugar Institute

Submitted to: International Sugar Journal
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/9/2017
Publication Date: 3/2/2018
Citation: Eggleston, G., Stewart, D., Aponte, F., Montes, B., Boone, S., Verret, C. 2018. How to use and interpret the results from a high performance liquid chromatography system at a sugarcane factory. International Sugar Journal. 120(1431):210-217.

Interpretive Summary: The first High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system was established at a Louisiana sugarcane factory in 2015 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 HPLC system paid for itself in less than one year by allowing sucrose losses in a clarification tank to be accurately detected and calculated and then subsequently solved. The advantages and disadvantages of using a HPLC system in a sugarcane factory are described.

Technical Abstract: In 2015, a sugarcane factory established and operated the first High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) system in Louisiana. Although many HPLC systems exist, the factory opted for an ion chromatography (anion exchange) system with integrated pulsed amperometric detection. A gradient HPLC method was established to measure mannitol, glucose, fructose, and sucrose in a run time of 10 min. For the best accuracy, separate and higher dilutions are needed to quantitate sucrose due to its considerably higher concentration in sugar products (except molasses). Since an analytical technique is only useful if the results can be interpreted properly, training was essential for operations and analyses. Training topics included basic sugar chemistry, Leuconostoc mesenteroides sugarcane deterioration reactions, and color formation in the factory. 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” and identify problems in processing, (ii) rapidly identify dextran presence via mannitol measurement and optimize dextranase application, (iii) rapidly monitor molasses exhaustion and enzyme applications, and (iv) explain difficult samples more easily. The HPLC system paid for itself in less than one year by allowing sucrose losses in a clarification tank to be accurately detected and calculated and then subsequently solved. The advantages and disadvantages of using a HPLC system in a sugarcane factory are described.