Analysis of the structural carbohydrates of herbage

Abstract

Abstract A method is proposed for the fractionation of the carbohydrates of plant material by successive extractions with ethanol‐benzene, 95% ethanol and hot water followed by delignification and extraction of the isolated holocellulose with potassium hydroxide solution to yield hemicellulose and α‐cellulose. The polysaccharides in the hot water extract, hemicellulose and α‐cellulose are hydrolysed and the constituent monosaccharides separated by paper chromatography and determined spectrophotometrically.