PEROXYMONOSULPHATE - AN ACTIVATING AGENT FOR THE DELIGNIFICATION OF BARLEY STRAW

The effect of peroxymonosulphate (oxone) as an activating agent for th e delignification of barley straw has been studied. The activation sta ge conditions were varied in the following ranges: oxone 0-200 g . L-1 , temperature 30-100-degrees, sulphuric acid 0.00-4.00M. Delignificati on was followed by extraction with 1.0 M sodium hydroxide. After delig nification, the residues were analysed for lignin and neutral sugar co mposition and by Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The extent of delignification and hemicellulose removal increased with inc reasing concentrations of both acid and oxone. The optimum temperature for delignification was 70-degrees: higher temperatures promoted lign in polymerisation reactions. The cellulose (glucose) content increased with increasing oxone and acid concentrations, and temperature. Unlik e delignification, the optimum temperature for cellulose content was 1 00-degrees.