• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.31 no.6
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• pp.31-39
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• 2003

The enzymatic isolation of residual lignins obtained from spruce and beech pulps (obtained by sulfite, kraft, ASAM and soda/AQ/MeOH pulping processes) and their characterization was described in previous publications. Here, the residual lignins have been submitted to potassium permanganate oxidation (KMnO₄ degradation), and 9 aromatic carboxylic acids (3 of them are dimeric) were identified after methylation with diazomethane by GC/MS. The analytical challenge during qantification by the internal standard methods was the partly high protein content of the samples, which resulted in elevated anisic acid yields in the degradation mixture of sulfite residual lignins. The results are compared with the KMnO₄ degradation of the corresponding MWLs and discussed in terms of S/G ratios and degrees of condensation. The latter was calculated as a quotient between the aromatic carboxylic acids derived from condensed and non-condensed lignin structures. Typical degradation patterns for the various processes have been observed. Among other parameter, the relative compositions between iso-hemipinic acid (which is for condensation in pos. 5 of the aromatic ring) and meta-hemipinic acid and 3,4,5-trimethoxyphthalic acid (both are for condensation in pos. 6 of the aromatic ring) was found to be process specific. Kraft and soda/AQ/MeOH residual lignins yielded higher amounts of iso-hemipinic acid. In contrast, the relative yields of meta-hemipinic acid and 3,4,5-trimethoxyphthalic acid (the latter in beech lignins) are higher in sulfite and particularly in ASAM residual lignin. In case of beech residual lignins the amount of acids originated from non-condensed syringyl type lignin units was surprisingly high. The condensation degree of residual lignins was shown to be generally higher than that of MWLs. This was especially true for the G units. ASAM residual lignin exhibited very high S/G ratios and degrees of polymerization. Causality between condensation degree and total yield of degradation products was demonstrated.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.372-380
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• 2009

After supercritical water treatment of poplar wood meals (passed through 60 mesh) for 60s between 325 and $425^{\circ}C$ at the fixed pressure at $220{\pm}10atm$, some solid residues were present in the degradation products. They mainly consisted of chemically modified lignin and fibrous materials. Glucose and xylose were identified as main sugar components of fibrous materials, and the highest ratio of glucose/xylose was achieved at the highest reaction temperature. As reaction temperature was elevated, the portion of fibrous materials decreased in the solid residues, while lignin was further accumulated. The H : G : S ratio of lignin in solid residues was estimated by analytical pyrolysis. Irrespective of reaction temperatures, the H:G:S ratios were not significantly changed in the lignin in solid residues. Compared to poplar milled wood lignin (MWL), it was remarkable that H type monomers were further lowered, while portion of S type monomers increased. The amount of G type monomers were relative stable. In presence of HCl catalyst, lowering H type as well as enhancing S type was further distinguishable. According to the result of nitrobenzene oxidation (NBO), ca. 265 mg of vanillin and syringaldehyde was yielded from poplar MWL as main products. However, remarkably reduced amount of NBO products were determined from solid residues by raising operating temperature as well as by the addition of HCl catalyst. These results strongly indicate that $\beta$-O-4 linkage could be easily cleaved during supercritical water treatment, so that the lignins in the solid residues seem to be condensed phenol polymers, which are mainly formed by carbon-carbon linkages rather than $\beta$-O-4 linkage.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.213-222
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• 2010

In this study, chemical compositions - holocellulose, lignin and monomeric sugars - were characterized with two poplar wood cell walls, one of which was grown at normal condition (CPW) and the other was genetically modified by antisence suppression of CCoAOMT gene expression (ACPW). Milled wood lignins were isolated from CPW and ACPW and subjected to methoxyl group, DFRC, Py-GC/MS, GPC, $^{13}C$-NMR analysis, respectively. There were few differences in holocellulose contents in both cell walls, which were determined to 81.6% in CPW and to 82.3% in ACPW. However, lignin contents in ACPW was clearly decreased by the suppression of CCoAOMT gene expression. In CPW 21.7% of lignin contents was determined, while lignin contents in ACPW was lowered to 18.3%. The relative poor solubility of ACPW in alkali solution could be attributed to the reduction of lignin content. The glucose contents of CPW and ACPW were measured to 511.0 mg/g and 584.8 mg/g and xylose contents 217.8 mg/g and 187.5 mg/g, respectively, indicating that suppression of CCoAOMT gene expression could be also influenced to the formation of monomeric sugar compositions. In depth investigation for milled wood lignin (MWL) isolated from both samples revealed that the methoxyl contents at ACPW was decreased by 7% in comparison to that of CPW, which were indirectly evidenced by $^{13}C$-NMR spectra and Py-GC/MS. According to the data from Py-GC/MS S/G ratios of lignin in CPW and ACPW were determined to 0.59 and 0.44, respectively. As conclusive remark, the biosynthesis of syringyl unit could be further influenced by antisense suppression of CCoAOMT during phenylpropanoid pathway in the plant cell wall rather than that of guaiacyl unit.