Analysis of Carbohydrates Obtained from Wood by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry

The aim of this study was the development and validation of a new method for carbohydrates analyses obtained from woody biomass, as a step of bioethanol production. In this study, we have quantified carbohydrates in wood by gas chromatography (GC) after derivatization. Quantification of carbohydrates was made by liquid-liquid extraction, oximation and silylation and, finally, analysis by gas chromatographymass spectrometry (GC-MS). Monosaccharide derivatives were identified by their GC retention time and MS fragmentation. N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) was used as derivatization reagent to prepare trimethylsilyl derivatives of hydrolysis products of cellulose and hemicellulose after pretreatment and hydrolysis of wood. The carbohydrates were quantified by using salicin as internal standard.