TY - BOOK
T1 - Fractionation and characterization of extracts of peat and peat-forming plants
AU - Ekman, Erkki
PY - 1981
Y1 - 1981
N2 - Peat contains substances, especially waxy ones that are technically
usable and soluble into organic solvents.The objective of the present
investigation was to study their origin and reasons for fairly significant
differences in their amounts between separate peat de posits and peat samples.
Special attention was paid to a possible causal connection between the
substances soluble in organic solvents in peat and in peat-forming plants.The
extraction was carried out with a benzene-ethanol solution.Benzene was sepa
rated from the extract by distilling and waxy components were crystallized
from the residual ethanol solution.The composition of the waxy components was
studied chromatographically by di viding them first into three fractions in a
silica gel column.Carbon disulphide, chloroform-ethanol and chloroform-formic
acid solutions were used as eluants.The composition of the fractions was
determined gas-chromatographically.Average quantities of peat-forming plant
species soluble in benzene-ethanol varied from 2.1 to 13.0 % and that of waxy
components from 0.1 to 4.7 % in dry matter.The lowest extract and wax contents
were obtained for moss and sedge species, while the highest values were
measured for dwarf-shrubs and especially for their leaves.The highest values
were obtained for the leaves of Empetrum nigrum, for which the proportion of
benzene-ethanol extract was 18.3 % and that of waxy components 9.0 % in dry
matter.The structure of waxy components of peat and peat-forming plant
material proved to be similar in many respects.Even carbon chains from Cl 6 to
C32 were dominant in car boxylic acids and from C~4 to C30 in alcohols, and
odd charbon chains from Cl9 to C33 in hydrocarbon groups.This similarity
refers to botanical origin of peat waxes.Hence, one reason for quantitative
variations in waxy and resinous components of peat can be due to the flora in
the era of peat formation.In addition to main plant species forming peat,
especially dwarf-shrubs have probably been a significant producer of these
components, as these shrubs and especially those yearly loosing their leaves
contain an abundance of waxy and resinous components.
AB - Peat contains substances, especially waxy ones that are technically
usable and soluble into organic solvents.The objective of the present
investigation was to study their origin and reasons for fairly significant
differences in their amounts between separate peat de posits and peat samples.
Special attention was paid to a possible causal connection between the
substances soluble in organic solvents in peat and in peat-forming plants.The
extraction was carried out with a benzene-ethanol solution.Benzene was sepa
rated from the extract by distilling and waxy components were crystallized
from the residual ethanol solution.The composition of the waxy components was
studied chromatographically by di viding them first into three fractions in a
silica gel column.Carbon disulphide, chloroform-ethanol and chloroform-formic
acid solutions were used as eluants.The composition of the fractions was
determined gas-chromatographically.Average quantities of peat-forming plant
species soluble in benzene-ethanol varied from 2.1 to 13.0 % and that of waxy
components from 0.1 to 4.7 % in dry matter.The lowest extract and wax contents
were obtained for moss and sedge species, while the highest values were
measured for dwarf-shrubs and especially for their leaves.The highest values
were obtained for the leaves of Empetrum nigrum, for which the proportion of
benzene-ethanol extract was 18.3 % and that of waxy components 9.0 % in dry
matter.The structure of waxy components of peat and peat-forming plant
material proved to be similar in many respects.Even carbon chains from Cl 6 to
C32 were dominant in car boxylic acids and from C~4 to C30 in alcohols, and
odd charbon chains from Cl9 to C33 in hydrocarbon groups.This similarity
refers to botanical origin of peat waxes.Hence, one reason for quantitative
variations in waxy and resinous components of peat can be due to the flora in
the era of peat formation.In addition to main plant species forming peat,
especially dwarf-shrubs have probably been a significant producer of these
components, as these shrubs and especially those yearly loosing their leaves
contain an abundance of waxy and resinous components.
M3 - Report
SN - 951-38-1261-8
T3 - Technical Research Centre of Finland. Publications
BT - Fractionation and characterization of extracts of peat and peat-forming plants
PB - VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland
CY - Espoo
ER -