Kinetics of Lignin Removal from the Lignocellulosic Matrix after Ozone Transportation

This study presents a new method to remove lignin from wheat straw (lignocellulosic) using the ozonation technique. Lignocellulosic material is a complex biopolymer composed of cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin. Apart from lignin, which acts as a chemical resistant, lignocellulosic is the main resource of cellulose and hemicellulose sugars. The ozonation reaction takes place in a two-phase solid–gas fluidization stainless steel reactor. The focus of this paper is to investigate the kinetics that govern lignin removal from lignocellulosic material after ozonation treatment. The kinetics of lignin removal did not agree with the experimental data until the suggested model is modified to a pseudo-second-order. The results showed that at a higher ozone supply of 150 mg min−1, the surface reaction and intra-particular diffusion were the most significant factors to remove the lignin. Moreover, at a lower ozone supply of 30 mg min−1, the intra-particular diffusion was the only contributor towards lignin removal.