The separation of reducing monosaccharides derived from glycosidoproteins and glycolipids by capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is dependent on the pH and concentration of the borate buffer. Five saccharides were completely separated in a fused silica capillary tube (50 microns i.d., 65 cm) containing 50 mM borate buffer (pH 10.5) as carrier, with high resolution, at an applied potential of 20 kV after the reducing saccharides were derivatized with 1-naphthylamine. On-column UV (254 nm) monitoring allowed quantitation of these saccharides at least in the concentration range of 10-100 mM in reaction solution. This method was applied to the determination of the monosaccharides composition of various carbohydrate materials to demonstrate its usefulness.