Comparative Analysis of Sugarcane Baggase Using Different Methods

Abstract

-To find reliable analytical methods to ensure an accurate analysis of structural compounds in plants is always challenging due to structural diversity of constituents in different lignocellulosics. The non-cellulosic carbohydrate in sugarcane baggase was analysed by acid methanolysis followed by gc analysis. Our results showed that 3 hours of acid methanolysis is more sufficient to obtain high yield of monomeric pentoses and uronic acid units. To determine total carbohydrate content the optimum condition for acid hydrolysis was found by the comparison of reaction kinetics using different acids (sulfuric, trifluoroacetic and ortho-phosphoric acid) at different concentrations and different reaction time followed by HPLC and GC analysis. The lignin content was determined by conventional klason method as well as by AcBr method. The effect of perchloric acid on lignin determination by AcBr method has also been evaluated and the optimum condition for sugarcane baggase has been found. Acetyl group content in non-cellulosic carbohydrate was analysed after mild alkaline hydrolysis followed by hplc.