Study of the Ability of Reducing Saccharides to Chemically Transform Lignin

The efficiency of chemical transformations of lignin obtained from Picea excelsa wood under the action of galactose, galacturonic acid and xylose (which can be obtained by enzymatic hydrolysis of hemicelluloses and pectin containing in plant material) was evaluated. The results were compared with use of traditional reducing agent which was borohydride sodium. Using the method of differential UV-spectroscopy was confirmed the increase of a number of phenolic hydroxyl units by Xyl, Gal and GA. The increase of lignin reactivity was controlled to sulfuric acid and to peroxide hydrogen. Similarly to NaBH4, a nucleophilic addition mechanism for the reaction of the reducing saccharides with lignin was revealed. Reduction by NaBH4, Xyl, GA and Gal increased the lignin reactivity to acid solubilisation and to peroxide oxidation.

Assessment of Trihalomethane Formation in Chlorinated Raw Waters with Differential UV Spectroscopy Approach

In this study, the changes in UV absorbance of water samples were characterized using defined differential UV spectroscopy (DUV), a novel spectroscopic technique. Chlorination experiments were conducted with water samples from Terkos Lake (TL) and Büyükçekmece Lake (BL) (Istanbul, Turkey). The maximum loss of UV absorbance for chlorinated TL and BL raw water samples was observed at a wavelength of 272 nm. Interestingly, differential absorbance at 272 nm (ΔUV272) was shown to be a good indicator of UV absorbing chromophores and the formation of trihalomethanes (THMs) resulting from chlorination. Furthermore, differential spectra of chlorinated TL waters were similar for given chlorination conditions, peaking at 272 nm. The correlations between THMs andΔUV272were quantified by linear equations withR2values >0.96. The concentration of THMs formed when natural organic matter is chlorinated increases with increasing time and pH levels. Among all THMs, CHCl3was the dominant species forming as a result of the chlorination of TL and BL raw water samples. The highest chloroform (CHCl3), dichlorobromomethane (CHCl2Br), and dibromochloromethane (CHBr2Cl) concentration were released per unit loss of absorbance at 272 nm at pH 9 with a maximum reaction time of 168 hours and Cl2/dissolved organic carbon ratio of 3.2.