Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulp residual lignin Part 2.: Modification of residual lignin structure in oxygen bleaching

Residual lignins were isolated from unbleached and oxygen-bleached Eucalyptus kraft pulps by acid hydrolysis. The structural changes and degradation of residual lignin occurring during kraft pulping and oxygen bleaching were followed and identified by elemental analysis, residual carbohydrate analysis, molecular mass distribution, as well as qualitative and quantitative solution C-13 NMR. The dissolved lignins in the kraft cooked and oxygen bleached liquors were also studied and compared with the corresponding residual lignins. Milled wood lignin treated under acid hydrolysis conditions served as a reference for the structural comparison. The results show that etherified syringyl structures were quite resistant towards degradation in the oxygen bleaching, causing little depolymerisation in residual lignin and a small increase in carboxylic acid content, but producing appreciable amounts of saturated aliphatic methylene groups.