Evaluation of cellulose content by infrared spectroscopy

Abstract

Cellulose is one of the most abundant organic chemical material in the world which is a raw material for several fields. In many cases this material is appearing as residue in the agriculture and forestry. Thus the application of cellulose as secondary raw material is desirable which requires a rapid estimation method reflecting the potential amount of cellulose stocks. The remote sensing based Cellulose Absorption Index (CAI) is an adequate method to make objective estimations of the quantity plant litters on soil surfaces. By the application of infrared spectroscopy CAI can be calculated to make rapid estimation of cellulose content in laboratory scale. In this research work cellulose contents of sweet sorghum bagasse were measured by the method of Van Soest. Based on the absorbance values determined in A.U. CAI values of the sweet sorghum bagasse samples were calculated. As a result a notable correlation (R2=0.7325) was found between the measured cellulose values and the modified Cellulose Absorption Index.