Macromolecular characterisation of three barley beta-glucan standards by size-exclusion chromatography combined with light scattering and viscometry: an inter-laboratory study

Carbohydrate polymers having the ability to complex calcium ions are of commercial interest. The effects of molecular weight and neighbouring carboxylate functional groups on a cellulose chain have been reported in this paper. High molecular weight sodium carboxymethylcellulose (viscosity of 2% solution 12 cP) was found to be marginally superior to low molecular weight sodium dicarboxycellulose (viscosity of 2% solution 1.1 cP) in its calcium complexing ability. Thus the sterically favourable effects of the neighbouring carboxylate groups can be offset by viscosity effects; both these are therefore important parameters in deciding the calcium complexing ability of a polymer.