Study of Aromatic Compounds Derived from Sugarcane Bagasse: II. Effect of Concentration

• Published in: Chemical engineering & technology 2010-03, Vol.33 (3), p.523-531
• Main Authors: Al Arni, S., Drake, A. F., Del Borghi, M., Converti, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Biological and medical sciences; Chemical engineering; Concentration; Exact sciences and technology; Ferulic acid; Food engineering; Food industries; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; General aspects; Lignin; p-Coumaric acid; Renewables; Self-Association; Sugarcane bagasse; Syringic acid; Vanillin
• ISSN: 0930-7516; 1521-4125
• DOI: 10.1002/ceat.200900552

The results of a set of experiments that were designed to integrate current knowledge on the major constituents of sugarcane bagasse lignin, specifically p‐coumaric, ferulic, syringic acids, and vanillin are presented. These aromatic compounds have well‐known antioxidant power and they are very important for the food, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical industries. Following a study on the effect of pH upon the spectra of these monomers and the determination of their pKa values, their self‐association properties in ethanol as a solvent, particularly at concentrations < 10–4 M were investigated using UV spectrophotometry and their Kass values were determined. The results collected allowed to better understand the chemistry of sugarcane lignin and provide a contribution to the possible exploitation of this abundant straw material for the recovery of fine chemicals. The self‐association properties required to form dimers of the main lignin constituents of sugarcane bagasse, e.g., p‐coumaric acid, ferulic acid, syringic acid, and vanillin were investigated by optical spectroscopy. The results collected allow greater understand of the chemistry of sugarcane lignin and suggest the possibility of effectively exploiting this abundant straw material for the recovery of fine chemicals.