Characterization of woody and herbaceous biomasses lignin composition with 1064 nm dispersive multichannel Raman spectroscopy.
Biomass representing different classes of bioenergy feedstocks, including woody and herbaceous species, was measured with 1064 nm Raman spectroscopy. Pine, oak, poplar, kenaf, miscanthus, pampas grass, switchgrass, alfalfa, orchard grass, and red clover were included in this  study. Spectral differences have been identified with an emphasis on lignin guaiacyl and syringyl monomer content and carotenoid compounds. The interpretation of the Raman spectra was correlated with (13)C-nuclear magnetic resonance cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning spectra  of select biomass samples. Thioacidolysis quantification of guaiacyl and syringyl monomer composition and the library of Raman spectra were used as a training set to develop a principal component analysis model for classifying plant samples and a principal component regression model for quantifying  lignin guaiacyl and syringyl composition. Raman spectroscopy with 1064 nm excitation offers advantages over alternative techniques for biomass characterization, including low spectral backgrounds, higher spectral resolution, short analysis times, and nondestructive analyses.
U.S. Department of Energy, Ames Laboratory, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.
Jason S
JS
Lupoi
Emily A
EA
Smith
D018533:Biomass; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D031584:Hibiscus / Q000737:chemistry; D008031:Lignin / Q000032:analysis* / Q000737:chemistry; D019906:Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, Biomolecular; D010944:Plants / Q000737:chemistry*; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry; D013059:Spectrum Analysis, Raman / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D029921:Trifolium / Q000737:chemistry; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry*
D008031:Lignin