Composition of neutral fractions in Chinese raw tall oil

Chinese tall oil samples, obtained from pulp and papermaking factories in Qinzhou and Jiamusi of China, were first divided into acidic and neutral fractions by saponification, extraction, and distillation. The obtained neutral fractions were then analyzed by gas chromatography (GC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) after silylation with bis-(trimethylsilyl) trifluoroacetamide. The results obtained show that 10 types of compound (monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, diterpenes, triterpenes, resin alcohols, resin aldehydes, steroids, fatty alcohols, phenols, stilbenes) exist in the neutral fractions of Chinese raw tall oil. In the neutral fractions from Qinzhou, 55 components were identified, 35 of which were found for the first time in Chinese raw tall oil; 12 components were discovered for the first time in raw tall oil. In the neutral fraction from Jiamusi, 45 components were identified, 9 of which were discovered for the first time in Chinese raw tall oil.