METHODS FOR DETERMINATION OF CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF PLANT BIOMASS (original) (raw)

Improved methods for the quantitative analysis of polysaccharides and lignin in biomass samples were developed by Designer Energy Ltd (DE). The DE method for determination of polysaccharides in biomass samples is based on the isolation of holocellulose, i.e. total polysaccharides containing both cellulose and hemicelluloses. After acid hydrolysis of holocellulose under mild conditions hemicelluloses were removed, and as a result the content of cellulose can be determined. The content of acid-insoluble lignin was measured by improved method after two-stage acidic hydrolysis of the biomass. In order to prevent loss of the components, a centrifugation technique was used for isolation of final products. The developed methods were used for analysis of chemical composition of crude and pretreated samples of switchgrass and sugarcane bagasse. It has been shown that DE methods provide more reliable results than conventional methods of chemical analysis.