title: Chemical composition of abaca (Musa textilis) leaf fibers used for manufacturing of high quality paper pulps.
abstract: The chemical composition of leaf fibers of abaca (Musa textilis), which are commonly used for high-quality paper pulp production, was thoroughly studied. The results revealed that the lignin content was 13.2% of the total fiber. The analysis of abaca fibers by pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) released predominantly compounds arising from lignin and p-hydroxycinnamic acids, with high amounts of 4-vinylphenol. The latter compound was demonstrated to arise from p-coumaric acid by pyrolysis of abaca fibers in the presence of tetramethylammonium hydroxide, which released high amounts of p-coumaric acid (as the methyl derivative). Products from p-hydroxyphenyl (H), guaiacyl (G), and syringyl (S) propanoid units, with a predominance of the latter (H:G:S molar ratio of 1.5:1:4.9), were also released after Py-GC/MS of abaca fibers. Sinapyl and coniferyl acetates, which are thought to be lignin monomer precursors, were also found in abaca. The extractives content of the abaca fiber (0.4%) was low, and the most predominant compounds were free sterols (24% of total extract) and fatty acids (24% of total extract). Additionally, significant amounts of steroid ketones (10%), triglycerides (6%), omega-hydroxyfatty acids (6%), monoglycerides (4%), fatty alcohols (4%), and a series of p-hydroxycinnamyl (p-coumaric and ferulic acids) esterified with long chain alcohols and omega-hydroxyfatty acids were also found, together with minor amounts of steroid hydrocarbons, diglycerides, alpha-hydroxyfatty acids, sterol esters, and sterol glycosides.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología de Sevilla, CSIC, P.O. Box 1052, E-41080 Seville, Spain. delrio@irnase.csic.es
authors.forename: José C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: del Río
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gutiérrez
mesh_terms: D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007221:Industry; D008031:Lignin / Q000032:analysis; D008055:Lipids / Q000032:analysis; D028521:Musa / Q000737:chemistry*; D010209:Paper; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D008055:Lipids; D008031:Lignin