Impact of Residual Extractives and Hexenuronic Acid on Lignin Determination of Kraft pulps

The amount of non-lignin components in unbleached and oxygen-delignified kraft pulps and their impact on lignin determinations was investigated. The lignin analyses investigated were kappa number and Klason lignin in conjunction with acid-soluble lignin. The species investigated were loblolly pine, and aspen. The non-lignin components that impacted on lignin determination were residual extractives and hexenuronic acid in unbleached and oxygen-delignified kraft pulps. In the hardwoods, significant amounts of extractives remained after kraft pulping and oxygen delignification. These residual extractives in the hardwood pulps had an impact on the lignin determination, more so on the acid lignin method than kappa number. Hexenuronic acid only impacts on kappa number determination both softwood and hardwood pulps, not on acid lignin. Hexeneuronic acid contributed as lignin content more in aspen than pine pulps, and more in oxygen-delignified than unbleached kraft pulps. Impact of hexenuronic acid on should be corrected both softwood and hardwood pulps for accurate kappa number.