Levoglucosan
Encyclopedia
Levoglucosan is an organic compound
with six carbon
ring structure formed from the pyrolysis
of carbohydrates, such as starch
and cellulose
. As a result, levoglucosan is often used as a chemical tracer for biomass
burning in atmospheric chemistry studies, particularly with respect to particulate matter.
Along with other tracers such as potassium, oxalate, and gaseous acetonitrile, levoglucosan has been shown to be highly correlated with regional fires. This is because the gas emitted by the pyrolysis of wood (biomass) contains significant amounts of levoglucosan.
The hydrolysis of levoglucosan generates the fermentable sugar glucose
, and therefore lignocellulosic material exhibits great potential as a renewable feedstock for the production of bioethanol. Levoglucosan can be utilized in synthesis of chiral polymers Unhydrolysable Glucose Polymers
.
Organic compound
An organic compound is any member of a large class of gaseous, liquid, or solid chemical compounds whose molecules contain carbon. For historical reasons discussed below, a few types of carbon-containing compounds such as carbides, carbonates, simple oxides of carbon, and cyanides, as well as the...
with six carbon
Carbon
Carbon is the chemical element with symbol C and atomic number 6. As a member of group 14 on the periodic table, it is nonmetallic and tetravalent—making four electrons available to form covalent chemical bonds...
ring structure formed from the pyrolysis
Pyrolysis
Pyrolysis is a thermochemical decomposition of organic material at elevated temperatures without the participation of oxygen. It involves the simultaneous change of chemical composition and physical phase, and is irreversible...
of carbohydrates, such as starch
Starch
Starch or amylum is a carbohydrate consisting of a large number of glucose units joined together by glycosidic bonds. This polysaccharide is produced by all green plants as an energy store...
and cellulose
Cellulose
Cellulose is an organic compound with the formula , a polysaccharide consisting of a linear chain of several hundred to over ten thousand β linked D-glucose units....
. As a result, levoglucosan is often used as a chemical tracer for biomass
Biomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
burning in atmospheric chemistry studies, particularly with respect to particulate matter.
Along with other tracers such as potassium, oxalate, and gaseous acetonitrile, levoglucosan has been shown to be highly correlated with regional fires. This is because the gas emitted by the pyrolysis of wood (biomass) contains significant amounts of levoglucosan.
The hydrolysis of levoglucosan generates the fermentable sugar glucose
Glucose
Glucose is a simple sugar and an important carbohydrate in biology. Cells use it as the primary source of energy and a metabolic intermediate...
, and therefore lignocellulosic material exhibits great potential as a renewable feedstock for the production of bioethanol. Levoglucosan can be utilized in synthesis of chiral polymers Unhydrolysable Glucose Polymers
Unhydrolysable glucose polymers
Unhydrolysable Glucose PolymersGlucans are polysaccharide of glucose monomers linked by glycosidic bonds. Accordingly, polymers built up of carbohydrate units bounded other than glycosodic bond are not considered as polysaccharides. Only four different types glucose-based polysaccharides are...
.