Capsular polysaccharides of Streptococcus pneumoniae contain a characteristic mix of monosaccharides in their structure resulting in immunologically distinct serotypes. Pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides include sugars such as hexoses, uronic acids, hexosamines, methyl pentoses, other functional groups are attached to the sugars are N and O-acetyl groups, nitrogen and phosphorus. Most of these components can be quantified using different colorimetric methods. However, available methods for quantifying nitrogen and phosphorus are not sensitive enough and laborious. We report a highly sensitive high-performance anion-exchange chromatography-conductivity detector (HPAEC-CD) method for quantifying nitrogen and phosphorus present in pneumococcal capsular polysaccharides. The method is reliable, robust and reproducible with no interference. The LOQ for nitrogen and phosphorus of 3.125 and 62.5 ng/mL, respectively, is highly critical for estimating low levels of total nitrogen and total phosphorus. We have implemented this method to quantify total nitrogen in Typhoid Vi polysaccharide and phosphorus in Haemophilus influenzae type-b polysaccharide. This method has greater application for quantification of nitrogen and phosphorus present in low concentrations in polysaccharide vaccines/biologicals.

肺炎链球菌荚膜多糖在其结构中含有特征性的单糖混合物，导致免疫学上不同的血清型。肺炎球菌荚膜多糖包括糖类如己糖、糖醛酸、己糖胺、甲基戊糖，与糖相连的其他官能团是N和O-乙酰基、氮和磷。大多数这些成分可以使用不同的比色方法进行量化。然而，用于量化氮和磷的可用方法不够灵敏且费力。我们报告了一种高度灵敏的高性能阴离子交换色谱-电导检测器 (HPAEC-CD) 方法，用于量化肺炎球菌荚膜多糖中的氮和磷。该方法可靠、稳健且可重复，无干扰。氮和磷的 LOQ 分别为 3.125 和 62.5 ng/mL，分别对于估算低水平的总氮和总磷非常关键。我们已经实施了这种方法来量化伤寒 Vi 多糖中的总氮和磷b型流感嗜血杆菌多糖。该方法在定量多糖疫苗/生物制品中低浓度的氮和磷方面具有更大的应用。