Sialic acids in bone demineralised in organic solvents

The sialic acid content of bovine shin bone, demineralised by a new process in ethanol-trimetrylammonium EDTA, was measured and compared with that of the original whole bone. New variants of the direct Ehrlich procedure, as well as the periodate-thiobarbituric acid assay, were employed. About 75% of the sialic acid remains in the bone matrix from ethanolic demineralisation, and the PAS reaction is correspondingly much more intense, compared with matrix from aqueous EDTA demineralisation.