Determination of Molecular Weight and Structure Characterization of Canna Amylose Purified Using the Method of n-Butanol Recrystallization

The canna amylose (CAM) was separated from canna starch grown in China and purified both using the method of n-butanol recrystallization. The purity, morphology, spectral properties and molecular weight of CAM were characterized by ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometer (UV/Vis), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FT-IR) and Ubbelohde viscometer. Maximum absorption wavelength of the purified CAM (635－638 nm) and it’s blue values (BV) (1.167 ± 0.209) prove that the purification of the CAM by n-butanol recrystallization was successfully carried out. The SEM results show that CAM granule surface become rougher and the CAM granule size become smaller than that of canna starch. The XRD results suggest that most of CAM granule is amorphous. And the FT-IR results show that the basic chemical groups of canna starch are also presented in CAM. However, the amorphous area of CAM is increased. The intrinsic viscosity and viscosity-average molecular weight of CAM is 78.5 mL/g and 1.65×105, respectively.