Acetic acid lignins from Chinese quince fruit (Chaenomeles sinensis): effect of pretreatment on their structural features and antioxidant activities

In this study, three pretreatment processes were evaluated for their effects on the structural features and antioxidant activities of lignins extracted by the acetosolv process from the fruit of Chinese quince. The three pretreatments included dephenolization, sugar removal, and multiple processes (a combination of both dephenolization and sugar removal). The results showed that after sugar removal pretreatment, the carbohydrate content, the molecular weight and S/G value of the lignin fractions decreased. However, after dephenolization pretreatment, the carbohydrate content and the molecular weight of the lignin fractions increased. After sugar removal and dephenolization, there were increases in the temperatures corresponding to the maximal rate of decomposition (DTGmax) in all lignin fractions. The radical scavenging index of lignin after sugar removal pretreatment was higher compared to other pretreatments and no treatment. The results of these tests showed that sugar removal, as a pretreatment, enhanced lignin extraction, yielding pure and highly functional lignins. Additionally, dephenolization or multiple process were beneficial to the acquisition of macromolecular lignins. All the results provided references for the biorefinery of biomass rich in polyphenol and sugar compounds.