FT-ICR-MS analysis of lignin.

Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FT-ICR-MS) of a steam-exploded lignin from wheat straw showed that fragments with a mass higher than 4534 Da cannot be obtained. Furthermore, FT-ICR-MS showed that lignin is not a completely random polymer, but shows some regularity with a difference of 44.026 m/z (C₂H₄O) between the peaks. The distribution of Kendrick mass defect in the function of Kendrick nominal masses showed the same behaviour. FT-ICR-MS analysis of bagasse lignin (Granit) showed that the largest value of mass found was 4347 Da. The peaks show regularities with a difference of 44.026 m/z between the peaks. The organosolv lignin showed that the polymer with the largest mass value was 3699 Da in FT-ICR-MS. The analysis of the peaks did not show regularity; however, the Kendrick diagram for this lignin showed the same slope as in the other samples, in agreement with the C₂H₄O regular difference between peaks.