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Title: Petroleomic Analysis of Bio- Oils from the Fast Pyrolysis or Biomass: Laser Desorption Ionization-Linear Ion Trap-Orbitrap mass Spectrometry Approach

Journal Article · · Energy & Fuels
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/ef100629a· OSTI ID:1014583

Fast pyrolysis of biomass produces bio-oils that can be upgraded into biofuels. Despite similar physical properties to petroleum, the chemical properties of bio-oils are quite different and their chemical compositions, particularly those of non-volatile compounds, are not well-known. Here, we report the first time attempt at analyzing bio-oils using high-resolution mass spectrometry (MS), which employed laser desorption ionization-linear ion trap-Orbitrap MS. Besides a few limitations, we could determine chemical compositions for over 100 molecular compounds in a bio-oil sample produced from the pyrolysis of a loblolly pine tree. These compounds consist of 3-6 oxygens and 9-17 double-bond equivalents (DBEs). Among those, O{sub 4} compounds with a DBE of 9-13 were most abundant. Unlike petroleum oils, the lack of nearby molecules within a {+-}2 Da mass window for major components enabled clear isolation of precursor ions for subsequent MS/MS structural investigations. Petroleomic analysis and a comparison to low-mass components in hydrolytic lignin suggest that they are dimers and trimers of depolymerized lignin.

Research Organization:
Ames Lab., Ames, IA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE Office of Science (SC)
DOE Contract Number:
DE-AC02-07CH11358
OSTI ID:
1014583
Report Number(s):
IS-J 7564; TRN: US201111%%44
Journal Information:
Energy & Fuels, Vol. 24, Issue 9
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English