Experimental method to determine the silica content in lignocelullulosic materials by UV vis spectrometry

Abstract

This work suggests an experimental method to determine the silica content in lignocellulosics materials and verify its applicability and reproducibility in the determination of the silica content in the wood of tauari (Couratari stellata A.C.Sm.). The results permitted to conclude that the proposed method provides reproducible and reliable results. Moreover, two other methods were evaluated, one proposed by van der VORM (1987) for silicon determination of plant material by colorimetric procedure and other for determination by gravimetric method. It was concluded that the first one does not allow to get true values for wood species and the second one is excessively slow.

Key words:
Wood; inorganic materials; silicates