Ultrafiltration and Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry of Chlorolignins in Pulp Mill Effluent

Abstract

Investigations on the effluent of a German pulp mill on the river Rhine using ultrafiltration and pyrolysis gas chromatography mass spectrometry have shown the presence of several chlorinated 2-methoxyphenols, which probably originate from chlorinated lignin or lignosulfic acid. Chlorinated phenolic pyrolysis products identified were 2-methoxy-6-chlorophenol, 2-methoxy-4-methyl-6-chlorophenol, 2-methoxy-dichlorophenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinyl-6-chlorophenol, 2-methoxy-4-(chloropropyl)phenol, 2-methoxy-4-(prop-2-enyl)-6-chlorophenol, 2-methoxy-4-(propan-2-one)-6-chlorophenol, 2-methoxy-3, 5, 6-trichlorophenol, 2-methoxy-4-vinyl-3, 5, 6-trichlorophenol. Monochlorinated 2-methoxyphenols were the dominant chlorinated pyrolysis products, smaller amounts of di- and trichloromethoxyphenols were also detected. 2-Methoxyphenols (guaiacols) were the dominant lignin pyrolysis products, only small amounts of 2, 6-dimethoxyphenols (syringols) were detected. This indicates the origin from soft wood. A Py-(GC)-(MS)-TIC-chromatogram of reference spruce milled wood lignin is comparable with the TIC-chromatogram of pulp mill effluent MW-fraction > 10,000, showing many similar compounds. The ultrafiltration fraction 1000 < MW < 10,000 showed a remarkably empty TIC-chromatogram, with 2-methoxyphenol and 2-methoxy-6-chlorophenol as the only significant phenolic peaks. This may indicate a high degree of oxidation/chlorination of lignin in this fraction.