Evaluation of phenolic compounds separation from corncob hemicellulosic hydrolyzate by high performance liquid chromatography using UV detector and variation in the mobile phase composition

• Grant number: 14/19802-2
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2015
• End date: August 31, 2015
• Field of knowledge: Interdisciplinary Subjects
• Principal Investigator: Rita de Cássia Lacerda Brambilla Rodrigues
• Grantee: Rodolfo Santos Nogueira
• Host Institution: Escola de Engenharia de Lorena (EEL). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Lorena , SP, Brazil

Abstract

In last few years, there is a growing number of works that are using hydrolysates from lignocellulosic residues in bioprocesses. However, most of these studies reported that fermentation parameters are lower than the ones obtained in synthetic media. This is probably due to the presence of toxic compounds n the hydrolysates. These compounds are derived from the hydrolysis process of the lignocellulosic materials, which in greater proportion could be find acetic acid, followed by phenolic compounds, furfural and hydroxymethylfurfural. These toxic compounds such as phenolics are generally analyzed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) using UV detector and a reversed phase chromatographic column (C18). Most of the compounds sample analyzed by HPLC using reverse phase have ionizable functional groups. The retention time of the sample depends strongly of the ionizing functional group. The degree of ionization is determined by the pH of the mobile phase. This study aims to evaluate the interference of the mobile phase pH and it composition in the HPLC system on the separation of the following compounds: furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, Á-hydroxybenzoic acid, syringaldehyde, syringic acid, vanillic acid, vanillin, Á-cumarílic acid and ferulic acid in corncob hemicellulosic hydrolysates It will be used two reverse phase columns (C18) from different manufacturers. Under mobile phase optimized conditions for phenolic compounds separation, a quantitative calibration of these compounds, as well as the methodology validation will be carried out before releasing the protocol for laboratory usage.