Renewable Biomass Characterization using Analytical Lignomic Toolset

Dr. Alena Kubatova
Přednáška hosta ústavu
9.6.2026 10:30, Přednáškový sál A

Lignin is an aromatic polymer found in plant biomass, making it a promising feedstock for renewable chemicals or biofuels. The use of lignin has been limited due to its structural complexity, which hinders the conversion of the raw material to useful, targeted products. Current methods are being designed to fragment lignin into various useful chemicals; nonetheless, each method has limitations. This presentation focuses on a suite of methods, i.e., the lignomics toolset developed in our laboratory for lignin and lignin derivative products’ characterization. The presentation will demonstrate the development of screening methods, including thermal carbon analysis (TCA), a novel method allowing for fast quantification and thermal fractionation of carbonaceous constituents, complemented by evolved gas analysis with mass spectrometry (EGA-MS). These methods are similar to thermogravimetric analysis yet provide chemical characterization of thermally evolved fractions , i.e., distinguishing the organic matter of lignin from water and other inorganic impurities. The screening methods are then followed by detailed characterization utilizing thermal desorption pyrolysis GC-MS (TD-Py-GC-MS), which provides identification of breakdown products resulting from individual temperature steps. In our work, we build upon TD-Py-GC-MS identification capabilities with the addition of a methanizer flame ionization detector for quantification. Finally, for the determination of molecular weight distribution, we employ direct infusion electrospray ionization high-resolution time of flight MS. Under the optimized conditions, this method enabled the detection of multiply-charged ions and provided comparable results to those obtained by size exclusion chromatography.

Přednáška je vedena v anglickém jazyce