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Updated: Mar 11, 2026

Ultrafast Lignin Extraction from Unusual Mediterranean Lignocellulosic Residues
Published on: March 9, 2021
Fast Track to Molar-Mass Distributions of Technical Lignins
Irina Sulaeva1, Grigory Zinovyev1, Jean-Michel Plankeele2
1Department of Chemistry, Division of Chemistry of Renewable Resources and Christian-Doppler Laboratory "Advanced cellulose chemistry and analytics", University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna, Konrad-Lorenz-Straße 24, A-3430, Tulln, Austria.
Abstract:
Technical lignins (waste products obtained from wood pulping or biorefinery processes) have so far required lengthy analysis procedures and different eluents for molar-mass analysis by gel permeation chromatography (GPC). This challenge has become more pressing recently since attempts to utilize lignins have increased, leading to skyrocketing numbers of samples to be analyzed. A new approach, which uses the eluent DMSO/LiBr (0.5 % w/v) and converts lignosulfonate salts into their acidic form before analysis, overcomes these limitations by enabling measurement of all kinds of lignins (kraft, organosolv, soda, lignosulfonates) in the same size-exclusion chromatography (SEC) system without the necessity of prior time-consuming derivatization steps. In combination with ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC), analysis times are shortened to one tenth of classical lignin GPC. The new approach is presented, along with a comparison of GPC and UPLC methods and a critical discussion of the analytical parameters.
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