Analysis of lipophilic extractives from wood and pitch deposits by solid-phase extraction and gas chromatography

Abstract

An analytical procedure for the analysis of lipophilic extractives from wood and pitch deposits is described in this paper. It comprises a rapid gas chromatographic method that enables the analysis of a high number of samples in a short period of time. Short-length, high-temperature capillary columns with thin films and high temperature- programming rates were preferred for the rapid analysis of wood extractives since they enable elution and separation of compounds within a wide molecular mass range (from fatty acids to sterol esters and triglycerides) in the same chromatographic analysis in a short period of time. Several examples of analysis of extractives from pine and eucalypt woods and pitch deposits in an eucalypt kraft pulp, are shown. On the other hand, a simple fractionation method using solid-phase extraction (SPE) in aminopropyl cartridges is described for the preparative scale separation and fractionation of wood lipophilic extractives into major lipid classes. The SPE advantages include smaller sample and solvent requirements and ease of use compared to conventional solvent extraction techniques.