Chemical characterization of ozonated lignin solutions from corn (Zea mays) stalk and poplar (Populus deltoides) wood by capillary gas chromatography

Renewable biofuel additives from the ozonolysis of lignin

In this investigation ozonolysis in the presence of ethanol was used to depolymerise lignin, resulting in a low conversion of oxygenated aromatics over short reaction times, or a range of saturated esters over 24 h. Short chain oxygenates can be used as fuel additives, displacing a percentage of a hydrocarbon fuel while leading to improvement in some of the fuel properties. The utility of the resulting bio-oils was therefore assessed by blending with a range of fuels. Guaiacol, a potential antioxidant, was formed over short reaction times and was found to be completely miscible with low-sulphur petrol (ULSP), diesel, aviation kerosene and rapeseed methyl ester. The mainly aliphatic proportion of the bio-oil produced over 24 h could be blended with the fuels replacing a maximum of 12-17 wt.% of the hydrocarbon fuel.

Ozonolysis of lignin models in aqueous solution: anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene

The lignin models anisole, 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trimethoxybenzene were reacted with ozone in aqueous solution, and major products were identified and quantified with respect to ozone consumption when reference material was available. Hydroxylation products in yields equivalent to those of singlet oxygen and muconic products (in analogy to the Criegee mechanism) dominate. The formation of quinones points to the release of methanol. Hydroxyl radicals (*OH, quantified, main precursor: O3*-), singlet oxygen (quantified), O2*- radicals (quantified), and as counterparts of the *OH radicals radical cations of these methoxybenzenes must each play an important role as intermediates. In the case of 1,4-dimethoxybenzene, for example, the following products were identified (yields in parentheses when quantified): methyl(2Z,4E-4-methoxy-6-oxo-hexa-2,4-dienoate 5 (52%), hydroquinone 6 (2%), 1,4-benzoquinone 7 (8%), 2,5-dimethoxyhydroquinone 8,2,5-dimethoxy-1,4-benzoquinone 9, singlet oxygen (6%), hydrogen peroxide (56%), *OH (approximately 17%), O2*- (< or = 9%). Gibbs energies for the various potential reaction pathways were calculated with the help of the Jaguar 7.5 program.

Assessment of the production of antioxidants from winemaking waste solids

Winemaking waste solids (WS, resulting from red grapes after fermentation and distillation to recover spirits) were subjected to various processing schemes for isolating fractions with antioxidant activity. The liquors entrapped in WS as received were separated by pressing and freeze-dried to yield a fraction with antioxidant activity (measured as DPPH radical scavenging capacity) comparable to those of synthetic antioxidants. A second approach based on the direct processing of raw WS in sulfuric acid medium under fixed operational conditions and further extraction of hydrolysis liquors with ethyl acetate enabled the isolation of a fraction with higher antioxidant ability at an improved yield. The most favorable approach started with a washing stage leading to liquors (which were directly freeze-dried to yield 1.20 g of extract/100 g of oven-dry WS and presented an EC50 of 0.41 g of extract/L) and washed solids, which were dried and subjected to hydrolytic processing (i) with water as a reactive in an autocatalyzed reaction (autohydrolysis) or (ii) with sulfuric acid solutions to give an ethyl acetate-soluble fraction with improved antioxidant properties (EC50 in the range of 0.18-0.40 g/L). Samples from washing liquors and processing of washed solids in aqueous medium were subjected to chromatographic fractionation and analysis to give isolates with remarkable antioxidant activity (with EC50 as low as 0.07 g/L) and to identify their major components.

Delignification of maize stems by peroxymonosulfuric acid, peroxyformic acid, peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide. 1. Physicochemical and structural characterization of the solubilized lignins

Water-treated maize stems were subjected to delignification with peroxymonosulfuric acid at 20 degrees C for 144 h, with peroxyformic acid at 80 degrees C for 6 h, with peracetic acid at 50 degrees C for 6 h, and with 2% hydrogen peroxide at 45 degrees C for 12 h at pH 1.5, 4.4, 9.5, 11.5, 12.0, and 12.6, respectively, which solubilized 47.1, 91.3, 33.3, 16.6, 15.9, 17.4, 86.2, 87.7, and 91. 3% of the original lignin, respectively. Substantial lignins were released during the treatment with peroxyformic acid and hydrogen peroxide at pH > or =11.5, whereas an insignificant effect on delignification was observed by using peroxymonosulfuric acid, peracetic acid, and hydrogen peroxide under acidic, natural, and weakly alkaline media conditions. The structures of the isolated lignin preparations were investigated by chemical analysis, gel permeation chromatography, and UV, FT-IR, and (13)C NMR spectroscopy.