Reactions between Cr(VI) and wood and its model compounds Part 1: A qualitative kinetic study of the reduction of hexavalent chromium

Wood, macromolecular and simple model compounds, were reacted with CrO3 or K2CrO4 aqueous solutions. Extracted lignin, guaiacol, vanillin, vanillyl alcohol and homovanillyl alcohol were chosen as model compounds for lignin, whilst cellulose, gum Ghatti, xylan, extracted hemicellulose from pine, methyl-β-D-glucopyranoside and methyl-β-cellobioside were used as models for wood polysaccharides. The kinetics of the reduction reactions of Cr(VI) were monitored using UV-Vis spectroscopy and the results obtained for several temperatures are discussed. In general terms, wood, lignin and lignin model compounds reduced Cr(VI) faster and to a greater extent than polysaccharides or simple sugar molecules. Moreover, lignin model compounds were reduced even faster than lignin. Simple sugars showed a reduction pattern similar to that of cellulose. Extracted hemicellulose revealed to be a poorer reductant while gum Ghatti was the strongest among the polysaccharides. As expected, CrO3 aq. behaved as a more powerfull oxidant than K2CrO4 aq. for these substances. Even at 100 °C, sugars or polysaccharides did not seem to be oxidised by K2CrO4 aq. 0.01 M. These results suggest that, because of the differences in reactivity, lignin reacts preferentially when wood is treated with Cr(VI)-containing formulations, like those which are applied in wood preservation treatments.