Feasibility of monomer aromatic substances as calibration standards for lignin quantitative analyses in Pyrolysis-GCMS

In this article, the feasibilities of five different monomer aromatic substances as calibration standards by analytical pyrolysis with gas chromatographic separation and mass selective detection (Py-GC/MS) were applied for the quantification of lignin in paper and pulp. The stabilities of these substances in the pyrolysis process were evaluated and the curves of peak response area to mass also were obtained. The results showed that the substances with exact same substitutions on the benzene ring as lignin units had good stabilities in the pyrolysis process with good lineabilities of peak response area to the mass curves, which implicated these substances can be applied as calibration standards in the liginin quick quantitative analyse without tedious pretreatments and structure changes.

► Good linearlities of selected monommers in GC–MS without pyrolysis.
► Better stablities of monomers with same substitutions on the ring as lignin units.
► Feasible and reliable for lignin analyse with greater enthalpy calibration standards.