Oxidized polysaccharides: A review on structural insights using MS-based approaches

Polysaccharides are susceptible to oxidation reactions due to their high content in hydroxy groups. Polysaccharides can be oxidized enzymatically and/or chemically, resulting in modification of the polysaccharide structural properties and techno-functionalities derived thereof. To understand the structural properties of oxidized polysaccharides, it is important not only to look at the molecular mass and identify and quantify the type of newly introduced functional oxidized groups, but also to precisely locate these groups in the oxidized polysaccharide. The precise location of functional groups remains a considerable challenge to reach complete structural characterization of polysaccharides. Mass spectrometry (MS) has emerged as a powerful technique to unravel the structural features of oxidized polysaccharides, allowing precise location of newly introduced functional groups and understanding about oxidation mechanisms. This review summarizes the current MS-based approaches used to investigate the structural features of oxidized polysaccharides and briefly discusses emerging MS techniques with potential for their characterization.