Vanillin synthesis: Harnessing lignin resources from pulpwood trees through oxidative cleavage depolymerization

This study aims to assess the potential yield of vanillin from pulp-industry black liquor using alkaline hydrolysis with oxidative cleavage depolymerization techniques in different pulpwood tree species: Casuarina, Leucaena, Eucalyptus, and Eucalyptus hybrid clone. The highest vanillin content was found in the black liquor from Eucalyptus (3.03 %), followed by Eucalyptus hybrid clone (2.11 %), Leucaena (0.55 %), and Casuarina (0.25 %). Further studies are required to identify the Eucalyptus varieties offering higher vanillin yields for potential commercial implementation.