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Updated: Mar 19, 2026
Comprehensive Compositional Analysis of Plant Cell Walls Lignocellulosic biomass Part I: Lignin
Published on: March 11, 2010
Robustness of two-step acid hydrolysis procedure for composition analysis of poplar
Samarthya Bhagia1, Angelica Nunez2, Charles E Wyman1
1Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, 900 University Avenue, Riverside, CA 92521, USA; Center for Environmental Research and Technology, Bourns College of Engineering, University of California Riverside, 1084 Columbia Avenue, Riverside, CA 92507, USA; BioEnergy Science Center (BESC), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), PO Box 2008 MS6341, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA.
Abstract:
The NREL standard procedure for lignocellulosic biomass composition has two steps: primary hydrolysis in 72% wt sulfuric acid at 30°C for 1h followed by secondary hydrolysis of the slurry in 4wt% acid at 121°C for 1h. Although pointed out in the NREL procedure, the impact of particle size on composition has never been shown. In addition, the effects of primary hydrolysis time and separation of solids prior to secondary hydrolysis on composition have never been shown. Using poplar, it was found that particle sizes less than 0.250mm significantly lowered the glucan content and increased the Klason lignin but did not affect xylan, acetate, or acid soluble lignin contents. Composition was unaffected for primary hydrolysis time between 30 and 90min. Moreover, separating solids prior to secondary hydrolysis had negligible effect on composition suggesting that lignin and polysaccharides are completely separated in the primary hydrolysis stage.
