CHARACTERIZATION OF HEMICELLULOSES IN TOBACCO STEMS

A method for the isolation and partial characterization of hemicelluloses in tobacco stems has been developed. The carbohydrate composition of a hemicellulose fraction extracted with 5% KOH consists of a xylan, to which other carbohydrates are attached. Some of the lignin in tobacco stems is probably chemically bound to the hemicellulose. Gel-permeation chromatography has shown that some of the hemicellulose in tobacco consists of mixed molecular weight materials, which can be fractionated on a Sephadex G-150 column into a relatively large molecular weight substance (70,000 to 100,000) and one of smaller molecular weight (6000 to 15,000). © 1968, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.