Kopia av Characterization of spruce bark polysaccharides

The industrial processing of softwood in Sweden gives considerable amounts of bark which are mostly disregarded and considered as low-value side stream in the forest industries. The efficient exploitation of bark could be benefic for the forest industries and open a wide range of opportunities for the creation of value-added substances and applications based on renewable resources.
In order to find new applications for the bark, a deep fundamental understanding of its chemical composition is needed.
We are currently investigating the non-cellulosic polysaccharides extracted from the bark of Norway spruce (Picea abies). This group of substances includes hemicelluloses and pectins which can be extracted with pressurized hot water. Very few studies have been performed on those polysaccharides and their exact structures is still unknown.

The student will focus on the structural analysis of the non-cellulosic polysaccharides part of the bark. This work will require method development for the determination of linkage pattern of polysaccharides. The glycosidic linkage positions of sugar units will mainly be established by methylation analysis combined with GC-MS. If necessary, the project will also include the fractionation of the polysaccharides extract.

In addition to the experimental study of the bark polysaccharides, the diploma work will also consist of a literature survey, and writing of the diploma thesis. The project will start as soon as possible.