Raman Spectroscopy: An Evaluation of Antimicrobial Characteristics of Technical Lignin | Biomedgrid

Technical lignin from agricultural biomass has high potential for various applications and receives strong attention as one of the key materials in the future. One of its unique properties is antimicrobial property against wide range of microorganisms which is very helpful in medical and cosmetic application as potential natural antimicrobial agent. The current challenges are ability to swiftly identify its potency for both product development and routine analysis and its dark color from chromophores that were generated during delignification thus make it less attractive. Coniferyl alcohol, a chromophores and one of the three basic unit of lignin, is a key component that is responsible for antimicrobial property and also responsible for color generation of lignin after delignification. In order to control and monitor, it is essential to use characterization tools that is sensitive to the compound. Raman spectroscopy was reported to be the most efficient tools to monitor chromophores better than IR spectroscopic method. Therefore, using Raman spectroscopy to obtain tendency of antimicrobial property of lignin is suitable and appropriate.