Evaluating quantitative determination of levoglucosan and hydroxyacetaldehyde in bio-oils by gas and liquid chromatography

• Published in: Journal of analytical and applied pyrolysis Vol. 139; pp. 233 - 238
• Main Authors: Marathe, P.S., Juan, A., Hu, Xun, Westerhof, R.J.M, Kersten, S.R.A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.05.2019
• Subjects: Biomass; Gas chromatography (GC); Hydroxyacetaldehyde; Levoglucosan; Liquid chromatography (LC); Pyrolysis; Levoglucosan; Pyrolysis; Biomass; Hydroxyacetaldehyde; Gas chromatography (GC); Liquid chromatography (LC)
• ISSN: 0165-2370; 1873-250X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2019.02.010

•No reactions of pure levoglucosan and hydroxyacetaldehyde in GC and LC.•Depolymerisation of oligo-anhydrosugars present in bio-oil during injection in GC.•Hydroxyacetaldehyde yield, from bio-oil, is affected by reactions in GC.•Precise quantification of levoglucosan and hydroxyacetaldehyde yield by LC. This communication evaluates the suitability of gas and liquid chromatography for the quantification of levoglucosan and hydroxyacetaldehyde in bio-oils. It was found that both techniques can principally determine levoglucosan quantitatively in cellulose/biomass derived bio-oils. However, it is also shown that oligo-anhydrosugars present in the bio-oils undergo depolymerisation to levoglucosan during gas chromatography, resulting in an overestimation of the concentration of levoglucosan. Hydroxyacetaldehyde can only be determined quantitatively by liquid chromatography. Presented experimental evidence shows that the high temperature (200–320 °C) of injection in gas chromatography is a key factor causing oligo-anhydrosugars and hydroxyacetaldehyde to react during analysis, which may lead to flawed results.