Mineral and organic composition of the seeds of Scheuchzer’s cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri) of Surgut Polesie
D. V. DUDKIN1, I. M. FEDYAEVA2, L. A. ZHURAVLEVA1, D. A. LAZAREV1, E. S. CHUDOVA1
1Surgut State University, Surgut, Russia
2Center for Laboratory Analysis and Engineering Measurements in the Ural Federal District, Surgut, Russia
Keywords: fluff, Scheuchzer’s cottongrass, cellulose esters, lint, cellulose
Abstract
The chemical composition of the fluff of Scheuchzer’s cottongrass (Eriophrum scheuchzeri Hoppe) is investigated, and its practical applicability as an alternative to cotton-containing plant raw material for the production of cellulose ethers and esters on its basis is assessed. It is shown that the fluffiness of the cottongrass seeds is 40.5 %, the average length of cellulose fibre is 10-25 mm, the mass fraction of hard-to-hydrolyse polysaccharides is 59.0±0.6 %, cellulose - 40.5±0.7 %, lignin - 25.8±0.3 %, water-soluble substances - 14.5±0.5 %, extractive fat-soluble substances (oil content) - 14.3±0.3 %, ash content - 5.0±0.6 % of the fluff mass. The degree of cellulose polymerisation is 1510 units, the mass fraction of α-cellulose is 84±1 %. In the composition of ash substances, there was no accumulation of noticeable amounts of heavy metals. The composition of ash substances is mainly represented by, rel%: potassium oxides (44.5), the compounds of phosphorus (18.7), silicon (15.2), calcium (9.6), magnesium (4.5), sulphur (3.1), and chlorine (1.53). Based on the conducted studies, a preliminary conclusion was made about the potential suitability of this kind of plant raw material for economical use.
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