Comparative study of lignins isolated by alkali and ultrasound-assisted alkali extractions from wheat straw

Treatment of the dewaxed wheat straw with 0.5 M KOH at 35 degrees C for 2.5 h without ultrasonic irradiation and with ultrasound assistance for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 min resulted in a dissolution of 43.9%, 43.9%, 43.9%, 44.4%, 44.4%, 45.6%, 46.8%, and 49.1% of the original lignin, respectively. Much better results were achieved under the ultrasonic irradiation time for 35 min where nearly 50% of the original lignin was solubilized at 35 degrees C for 2.5 h. The purity of the lignin preparations isolated by alkali with ultrasound assistance was higher than that of the lignin fraction obtained by alkali without ultrasonic irradiation, and their purity increased with an increment of irradiation time between 5 and 35 min, in which the content of associated polysaccharides in the former lignin preparations (0.87-1.06%) was lower than that of the latter lignin fraction (1.16%). In addition, the lignins isolated by alkali with ultrasonic irradiation time between 5 and 30 min showed a slightly higher molecular weight and thermal stability than the lignin obtained by alkali without ultrasound assistance. No substantial differences in the main structure features between the lignin preparations isolated by alkali and ultrasound-assisted alkali extractions were found.