Linkages correction factors

Because the galacturonic acid units of pectin spend a significant portion of the time in the polymerized form, there is less decomposition than that of galacturonic acid standards subjected to the same conditions of hydrolysis. For this reason, correction factors for hydrolysis losses, under any conditions, can never be completely accurate therefore, it is preferable to cleave glycosidic linkages with the minimum of decomposition. 

For accurate results, correction factors must be established for the decomposition of each monosaccharide under the conditions of hydrolysis used. These corrections are of special importance when reliable values for a particular monosaccharide, present in only small proportion, are desired.24,33,34,83,92 96 When polysaccharides containing uronic acids are hydrolyzed, a further ambiguity is introduced, in that only partial cleavage of the glycosiduronic acid linkages may occur. 

The rationale for the correct setting of current knowledge about the shape of polysaccharides in solution is based on three factors the correlation between primary structure (i.e., the chemical identity of the carbohydrates polymerized in the chain), intrinsic conformational features dictated by the rotational equilibria (often the major contributions are due to the rotation about the glycosidic linkages) and the interaction with the other mo-... 

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