Characterization of lignin by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry using a simplified CuO oxidation method.

An efficient and high-throughput method to characterize lignin in environmental samples using alkaline CuO oxidation and capillary gas chromatography with mass detection is presented. Monomeric lignin phenols released during oxidation were selectively extracted using a polymer-based solid phase sorbent rather than liquid phase extraction. Sample size and matrix were found to influence lignin phenol yields. Increasing the sample size to an organic carbon content ≥1.5 mg of C minimizes phenol oxidation losses, and the addition of glucose as a sacrificial carbon source helped minimize oxidation losses in samples with <5 mg of organic carbon.