Positive-Ion Fast Atom Bombardment Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Characterization of Sulfated Unsaturated Disaccharides from Heparin and Heparan Sulfate

Positive-ion fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectrometry has been used in the characterization of non-, mono-, di- and trisulfated disaccharides from heparin and heparan sulfate. The positional isomers of sulfate groups of monosulfated disaccharides have been distinguished from each other by positive-ion fast atom bombardment tandem mass spectra, which provide an easy way of identifying the positional isomers. The fast atom bombardment collision-induced dissociation mass spectrometry/mass spectrometry technique was also applied successfully to the characterization of di- and trisulfated disaccharides.