Titration of free phenolic groups in pulps 10th EWLP, Stockholm, Sweden, August 25–28, 2008

Abstract

Abstract The ClO2 titration method for in situ measurement of free phenolic groups in pulp has been improved to minimize interferences from other groups susceptible to react with ClO2. The method is based upon the reaction between free phenolic groups and chlorine dioxide at a temperature of 0°C, in the presence of dimethyl sulfoxide. Theoretically, one free phenolic group consumes two molecules of ClO2. The pH of the ClO2 treatment was advantageously fixed at 6.7 using a phosphate buffer, and a new protocol was proposed to avoid any possible interference of quinone groups (either present in pulp or formed during the procedure) on the residual ClO2 titration step. The results obtained on isolated lignin samples were compared to those measured by 31P NMR spectroscopy. The ClO2 method gave substantially higher values, for reasons which deserve further investigation.