A multi-analytical study of degradation of lignin in archaeological waterlogged wood

Historical or archaeological wooden objects are generally better conserved in wet environments than in other contexts. Nevertheless, anaerobic erosion bacteria can slowly degrade waterlogged wood, causing a loss of cellulose and hemicellulose and leading to the formation of water-filled cavities. During this process, lignin can also be altered. The result is a porous and fragile structure, poor in polysaccharides and mainly composed of residual lignin, which can easily collapse during drying and needs specific consolidation treatments. For this reason, the chemical characterization of archaeological lignin is of primary importance in the diagnosis and conservation of waterlogged wood artifacts. Current knowledge of the lignin degradation processes in historical and archaeological wood is extremely inadequate. In this study lignin extracted from archaeological waterlogged wood was examined using both Py-GC/MS, NMR spectroscopy and GPC analysis. The samples were collected from the Site of the Ancient Ships of San Rossore (Pisa, Italy), where since 1998 31 shipwrecks, dating from 2nd century BC to 5th century AD, have been discovered. The results, integrated by GPC analysis, highlight the depolymerization of lignin with cleavage of ether bonds, leading to an higher amount of free phenol units in the lignin from archaeological waterlogged wood, compared to sound lignin from reference wood of the same species.     

Elucidation of interaction among cellulose, lignin and xylan during tar and gas evolution in steam gasification

Time profiles of evolution rates of gas and tar in steam gasification of model biomass samples were examined using a continuous cross-flow moving bed type differential reactor to elucidate the interaction of the major biomass components (cellulose, xylan, lignin) during gas and tar evolution. Two types of model biomass samples (sample A: mixture of cellulose (65 wt%) and lignin (35 wt%); sample B: mixture of cellulose (50 wt%), xylan (23 wt%), and lignin (27 wt%)) were used for the experiment. In steam gasification of sample A, the evolutions of water-soluble tar and gaseous products (CO, H₂, CH₄ and C₂H₄) are significantly suppressed by the interaction between cellulose and lignin. The primary (initial) decomposition of lignin is hindered by the interaction with pyrolysate of cellulose. Then, the CO₂ evolution appreciably enhanced and the evolution of water-soluble tar delays. These results may imply that the volatilization of water-soluble tar derived from cellulose is suppressed by lignin and then the decomposition of char derived from polymerized saccharides and lignin takes place, emitting mainly CO₂. From the results using sample B, it was found that the addition of xylan greatly enhances the evolutions of gases (CO₂, CO, CH₄ and H₂) and accelerates the evolution of water-soluble tar and CO₂, implying that the enhancement of decomposition of water-soluble tar into gases and/or xylan decomposes into gases without significant interaction with cellulose or lignin. In addition, yields of the major tar components (levoglucosan, furfural and 5-methylfurfural) were measured using HPLC. It was observed that the interaction among cellulose, xylan and lignin suppresses the evolution of levoglucosan and significantly increases the evolution rate of 5-methylfurfural. There is an insignificant influence of interaction among cellulose, xylan and lignin for furfural evolution.     

Tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis of 2-arylcoumaran lignin model compounds

Phenolic 2-arylcoumarans 1–6 were used to examine the behaviors of β-5 subunits in lignin during tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) thermochemolysis. Products were monitored by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. The process predominantly provided dimeric products with the opened hydrofuran ring. Substituent changes at the γ-position of ring A and at the 5-position of ring B had a large effect on the product compositions. 2-Arylcoumarans 1 and 6 with the γ-CH₂OH substituent predominantly gave 2,3,3′,4′-tetramethoxystilbenes involving the elimination of the γ-CH₂OH substituent, while 2–5 with the γ-CH₃ substituent gave a mixture of 2,3,3′,4′-tetramethoxy-α-methylstilbenes and α-methoxy-α-(3′,4′-dimethoxyphenyl)-β-(2,3-dimethoxyphenyl)propanes. Substituent –CHCHCH₃ on ring B remained unaffected. Substituents –CHCHCH₂OH and –COOH on ring B produced the corresponding methyl ether and ester, respectively, by methylation. The –CHCHCHO substituent on ring B was converted to the –CHO substituent.     

Structure and Action Mechanism of Ligninolytic Enzymes

Lignin is the most abundant renewable source of aromatic polymer in nature, and its decomposition is indispensable for carbon recycling. It is chemically recalcitrant to breakdown by most organisms because of the complex, heterogeneous structure. The white-rot fungi produce an array of extracellular oxidative enzymes that synergistically and efficiently degrade lignin. The major groups of ligninolytic enzymes include lignin peroxidases, manganese peroxidases, versatile peroxidases, and laccases. The peroxidases are heme-containing enzymes with catalytic cycles that involve the activation by H₂O₂ and substrate reduction of compound I and compound II intermediates. Lignin peroxidases have the unique ability to catalyze oxidative cleavage of C–C bonds and ether (C–O–C) bonds in non-phenolic aromatic substrates of high redox potential. Manganese peroxidases oxidize Mn(II) to Mn(III), which facilitates the degradation of phenolic compounds or, in turn, oxidizes a second mediator for the breakdown of non-phenolic compounds. Versatile peroxidases are hybrids of lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase with a bifunctional characteristic. Laccases are multi-copper-containing proteins that catalyze the oxidation of phenolic substrates with concomitant reduction of molecular oxygen to water. This review covers the chemical nature of lignin substrates and focuses on the biochemical properties, molecular structures, reaction mechanisms, and related structures/functions of these enzymes. Reference to a company and/or products is only for purposes of information and does not imply approval of recommendation of the product to the exclusion of others that may also be suitable. All programs and services of the US Department of Agriculture are offered on a nondiscriminatory basis without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, sex, age, marital status, or handicap.     

黄藤细胞壁木质素区域化学分子光谱成像研究

整合共聚焦显微荧光和拉曼光谱成像技术系统研究了黄藤藤茎组织中不同类型细胞以及同一细胞不同形态区域的木质素区域化学特点。共聚焦荧光成像表明黄藤藤茎组织中木质素主要汇聚于初生木质部导管、次生木质部导管、维管束间的薄壁组织细胞以及纤维细胞角隅区。基于荧光光谱差异的光谱成像线性拆分结果显示纤维细胞次生壁由宽、窄层交替的同心层状结构组成,且窄层具有更高的木质化程度。比较黄藤、毛竹、芒草、毛白杨和虎皮松拉曼光谱发现黄藤材细胞壁拉曼光谱与阔叶木毛白杨类似,证实了黄藤材的化学组成更加趋近于阔叶木毛白杨。对拉曼光谱中木质素特征峰成像进一步揭示出纤维细胞中木质素不均一的分布规律: 其中细胞角隅胞间层和复合胞间层的拉曼信号强度最高,表明较高的木质化程度,其次是次生壁中的窄层,而次生壁宽层中拉曼特征峰强度最低,这一分布规律与竹材纤维细胞中木质素分布规律类似。宽、窄层中木质素不仅存在浓度上的差异,而且木质素基本结构单元的比例亦不同。采取光谱去卷积的方法排除了碳水化合物的影响,发现窄层中愈创木基(G型)木质素与紫丁香基木质素(S型)比例为0.19,而在宽层中这一比值为0.14,这一结果亦解释了宽、窄层荧光光谱间的差异。该研究结果对探索黄藤细胞壁生物合成及力学响应机制研究具有重要理论指导意义。     

由木质素制备高品位运输燃料初探

木质素是一种绿色可再生的资源,是制备液体运输燃料的理想原料。本文研究了一种由木质素制备液体运输燃料的方法。首先,选用K-OMS-2催化剂进行氧化反应,通过氧化木质素单体模型物获得芳香醛,木质素二聚体模型物(α-O-4结构木质素二聚体)氧化解聚后获得了65%产率的芳香醛;同时尝试氧化碱木素,产物中检测到香草醛、对羟基苯甲醛等化合物;其次,通过芳香醛和丙酮发生Claisen-Schmidt缩合反应增加碳链长度;最后,通过芳烃加氢获得高品位的饱和烷烃燃料。     

Separation of cellulose/hemicellulose from lignin in white pine sawdust using boron trihalide reagents

A mild method for the separation of cellulose/hemicellulose from extractives free sawdust is described. Sequential treatments with an equimolar mixture of BCl₃ and BBr₃ remove polysaccharide components from a white pine sawdust sample. Spectroscopic analyses, including solution and solid-state NMR spectroscopy, confirm a reduction in the amount of aliphatic sugars in solid samples and show that extracted components consist only of polymeric sugars and are free of aromatics. Staining with fluorescent and colorimetric dyes confirm that the sawdust sample after boron trihalide treatment is primarily lignin, with no detectable polysaccharides.     

Superhydrophobic surfaces from sustainable colloidal systems

In recent decades, sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces from natural materials and sustainable processes have attracted increased interest due to their lower environmental footprint and potential applications in self-cleaning surfaces and biomedical devices. Although there is significant progress on selecting suitable nano and micro particles to prepare superhydrophobic surfaces, a comprehensive review on the direct use of sustainable colloidal particles (SCPs) is lacking. In this review, we highlight the recent advances on sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces using SCPs. The composition and properties, extraction methods, and chemical modifications are described, including cellulose nanocrystals, chitin/chitosan nanoparticles, and lignin nanoparticles. In addition to the physico–chemical properties and tunable dimensionality, the fabrication methodologies of superhydrophobic surfaces using modified colloids are described. Finally, the potential applications of these sustainable superhydrophobic surfaces ranging from oil/water separation, biomedical, water harvesting, biofabrication, microfluidic reactor, and food packaging are discussed together with a future perspective on the advances made.     

A Multipurpose Lignin‐based Adsorbent for Metallic Ions,Nanoparticles and Various Organophosphate Pesticides in Hexane

A lignin‐based adsorbent for metallic ions, nanoparticles and various agricultural organophosphate pesticides in hexane is immobilized on silica gel without further fractional purification. For most organophosphate analytes examined in this study under the same conditions, the percentage of adsorption achieved was well above 90% in 15 min, was found to be highly related to the dipole‐dipole attractions that occurred among the oxygen‐containing functional groups attached to analyte and lignin molecules and was greatly enhanced in hexane. The adsorption is believed to be reversible and surface oriented; furthermore, the interaction leading to the adsorption is not as significantly subject to the steric hindrance effect caused by the bulky group or elements surrounding the phosphorus element. Other types of interactions enhanced in hexane, such as the π‐π interaction, and hydrogen bonding in some cases, were also observed and contributed less to the percentage of adsorption. However, the adsorption of ions and nanoparticles under aqueous conditions is thought to be mainly a result of the complexation of the oxygen‐bearing hydrophobic cleft of the lignin molecule. In all cases, the nature of the analyte, the amount of adsorbent and the acidic or basic origin of the additive in matrix also affect the percentage of adsorption.     

木质素及其在高分子材料方面的利用课程教学方法与实践

木质素是一种重要的天然高分子,其开发利用已成为材料科学的热点之一。木质素及其在高分子材料方面的利用课程内容涉及木质素的结构与性质、木质素化学品、木质素热固性材料、木质素热塑性材料、木质素新材料、木质素材料的性能评价等。针对该门课程知识点多且内容分散、知识面宽、知识点新的特点,提出了教学方法:(1)采用案例教学法,密切联系生产实践;(2)采用翻转课堂教学法,提高学生自学能力;(3)加强双语教学,培养国际化专业人才;(4)采用灵活有效的考核方式,着实提高学生综合能力。