Analytical Strategies Involved in the Detailed Componential Characterization of Biooil Produced from Lignocellulosic Biomass

Abstract

Elucidation of chemical composition of biooil is essentially important to evaluate the process of lignocellulosic biomass (LCBM) conversion and its upgrading and suggest proper value-added utilization like producing fuel and feedstock for fine chemicals. Although the main components of LCBM are cellulose, hemicelluloses, and lignin, the chemicals derived from LCBM differ significantly due to the various feedstock and methods used for the decomposition. Biooil, produced from pyrolysis of LCBM, contains hundreds of organic chemicals with various classes. This review covers the methodologies used for the componential analysis of biooil, including pretreatments and instrumental analysis techniques. The use of chromatographic and spectrometric methods was highlighted, covering the conventional techniques such as gas chromatography, high performance liquid chromatography, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry. The combination of preseparation methods and instrumental technologies is a robust pathway for the detailed componential characterization of biooil. The organic species in biooils can be classified into alkanes, alkenes, alkynes, benzene-ring containing hydrocarbons, ethers, alcohols, phenols, aldehydes, ketones, esters, carboxylic acids, and other heteroatomic organic compounds. The recent development of high resolution mass spectrometry and multidimensional hyphenated chromatographic and spectrometric techniques has considerably elucidated the composition of biooils.

Advanced mono‐ and multi‐dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry techniques for oxygen‐containing compound characterization in biomass and biofuel samples

“…The principles of chromatographic techniques are based on the difference of interaction of the components with the stationary phase in the chromatography column, inducing the difference of retention time. Each technique presents some advantages and disadvantages and the selection of a specific one rather than the other often depending on the chemical composition and structure of the analytes to isolate [45].…”

Separation procedures in the identification of the hydrogenation products of biomass-derived hydroxymethylfurfural

“…For several decades, gas chromatography (GC) has been one of the most popular techniques for the detection, identification and separation of volatile and semi-volatile analytes, in complex, including biomass-related samples [29,30]. GC usually concentrates on the volatile organic species with lower polarity and lower boiling point (<350°C) [31].…”

“…Another technique worth describing is Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which is frequently applied in the qualitative and quantitative analysis of organic substances [30]. The mid-infrared region is particularly used to reveal the presence of various functional groups in molecules, thanks to their characteristic absorption bands.…”

Studies of Cellulose and Starch Utilization and the Regulatory Mechanisms of Related Enzymes in Fungi

“…As a polysaccharide, cellulose has been regarded as an important cornerstone of developments in bioenergy [11][12][13][14][15]. At present, using lignocellulose biomass as a carbon source substrate to produce methane, ethanol, and biofuels by microbial fermentation has become a hotspot in renewable energy research [16][17][18]. In addition, the cellulose utilization of microorganisms also has an important effect on the carbon cycling process, which is one of the largest material flows in the biosphere.…”