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Lignin analysis using microwave digestion

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Abstract

Lignin quantification in apple pomace residues was carried out using a microwave oven to replace traditional refluxing during the mild acidolysis step to augment the selectivity of this step towards cleavage of lignin–carbohydrate bonds and to reduce the time needed to quantify lignin. The pressure, temperature and time were optimized by response surface methodology and the results were compared to the Klason lignin methodology. Temperature and pressure had a significant positive effect (p < 0.05) on the determination of lignin. However, the time was also significant (p < 0.05) on lignin quantification. The optimal conditions of digestion were: 30 bar, 170 °C for 15 min. The digestion using microwave (lignin content = 33 % w/w) was more accurate (p < 0.05) than the the traditional refluxing (lignin content = 27 % w/w).

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank to the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada, FQRNT (ENC 125216) MAPAQ (No. 809051) and Projet Initiative Inde 2010 for financial support. The views or opinions expressed in this article are those of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. INRS-ETE, Université du Québec, 490, Rue de la Couronne, Quebec, QC, G1K 9A9, Canada

    Fatma Gassara, C. M. Ajila, Satinder K. Brar, R. D. Tyagi & J. R. Valero

  2. Institut de recherche et de développement en agroenvironnement (IRDA), 2700 rue Einstein, Quebec, QC, G1P 3W8, Canada

    M. Verma

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  1. Fatma Gassara
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  2. C. M. Ajila
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  3. Satinder K. Brar
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  4. R. D. Tyagi
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  5. M. Verma
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  6. J. R. Valero
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Correspondence to Satinder K. Brar.

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Gassara, F., Ajila, C.M., Brar, S.K. et al. Lignin analysis using microwave digestion. Biotechnol Lett 34, 1811–1815 (2012). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0991-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10529-012-0991-7

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