Effect of the Pre-Treatment Severity on the Antioxidant Properties of Ethanol Organosolv Miscanthus x giganteus Lignin

Abstract

The effect of the severity of an organosolv treatment of Miscanthus x giganteus on antioxidant capacity of the obtained lignin was studied. Four organosolv lignins extracted with different severity conditions were chosen and tested. Results obtained using the methyl linoleate method have shown a correlation between oxygen uptake index and the combined severity. It was found that lignin extracted at higher severity pre-treatment and with a higher phenolic hydroxyl content, lower aliphatic hydroxyl content, molecular weight and polydispersity has the highest antioxidant capacity.