(603i) Biomass Characterization Using HPLC and MALDI-MS Techniques

Quantitative biomass analyses and molecular weight determination are essential in assessing lignocellulosic feedstocks in biofuel related research. High-performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) equipped with a suitable carbohydrate resin column is commonly used for quantitative analysis of polysaccharide constituents in biomass. When sample preparation includes steps such as acid neutralization, introduction of soluble salts can lead to an unstable chromatographic baseline.  The contribution of this work is in introducing HPLC sample pretreatment which results in improved baseline stability of resultant chromatograms and therefore reproducible data. Characterizing cellulose, especially its degree of polymerization (DP), is another important step in evaluating its deconstruction to monomeric sugars or in its use for materials. Matrix Assisted Laser Desorption Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectroscopy (MALDI-TOF) has been used to determine the degree of polymerization for crystalline cellulose with a DP in an excess of 200. A new technique has been developed for MALDI-TOF, utilizing an ionic liquid matrix and solvent system. The technique has potentially wide application in analysis of lignocellulosic substrates.