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Characterization of lignin in heartwood, sapwood and bark from Tectona grandis using Py–GC–MS/FID

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Abstract

Sapwood, heartwood and bark of 70-year-old teak trees from an unmanaged stand in East Timor were characterized by pyrolysis (Py–GC–MS/FID). Sapwood and heartwood from teak presented a high lignin content (35.4 and 37.3 % of extractive-free wood) and similar composition. Teak wood is characterized by a GS type of lignin (56.0 % of G-units, 42.2 % of S-units and 1.8 % of H-units in extractive-free wood), with an S/G ratio of 0.8. The major lignin-derived compounds were 4-vinylsyringol (6.6 %), coniferyl alcohol (trans) (4.5 %), coniferaldehyde (2.0 %), 4-vinylguaiacol (1.6 %) and 4-methylguaiacol (1.6 %). Extractive-free teak bark presented 28.0 % of lignin, characterized by a GS type, with 53.3 % G-units, 42.1 % S-units and 4.6 % H-units, with S/G ratio of 0.8. The high lignin content and a composition with predominance of G-units may contribute to the durability and mechanical resistance of teakwood.

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Acknowledgments

The sampling of teak trees and wood transportation from East Timor to Portugal was only possible due to the cooperation of the Programme for the Support of Rural Development in East Timor (PADRTL) from the Portuguese Government. We are grateful for all the help from the local field team, namely Nuno Moreira, Paulo Maio and Filipe Suspiro. Financial support for the laboratorial analysis was given by research funding of FCT (Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia) to CEF (Centro de Estudos Florestais) under its Strategic Project (PEst-OE/AGR/UI0239/2014) and two projects (PTDC/AGR-CFL/110419/2009 and PTDC/AGR-FOR/3872/2012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Estudos Florestais, Instituto Superior de Agronomia, Universidade de Lisboa, Tapada da Ajuda, 1349-017, Lisbon, Portugal

    Ana Lourenço, Duarte Miranda Neiva, Jorge Gominho, António Velez Marques & Helena Pereira

  2. Superior Institute of Engineering of Lisbon, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Rua Conselheiro Emídio Navarro 1, 1959-007, Lisbon, Portugal

    António Velez Marques

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  1. Ana Lourenço
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  2. Duarte Miranda Neiva
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  3. Jorge Gominho
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  4. António Velez Marques
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  5. Helena Pereira
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Correspondence to Ana Lourenço.

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Lourenço, A., Neiva, D.M., Gominho, J. et al. Characterization of lignin in heartwood, sapwood and bark from Tectona grandis using Py–GC–MS/FID. Wood Sci Technol 49, 159–175 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-014-0684-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00226-014-0684-6

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