Products of alkaline peroxide attack on wheat straw, oak, and kenaf

Abstract
Wheat straw, oak, and kenaf were partially delignified by treatment with hydrogen peroxide at pH 11.0, and the water‐soluble degradation products were characterized. Forty to sixty percent of the solubilized products were larger than 1000 molecular weight (MW), as determined by membrane ultrafiltration. Lignin degradation products in the low‐molecular‐weight fraction (<1000) consisted primarily of aromatic and aliphatic carboxylic acids.