A comparison of some chemical and physical properties of alkali lignins from grass and lucerne hays before and after digestion by sheep

The chemical and physical properties of alkali lignins from a grass hay and a lucerne hay were studied, before and after digestion by sheep. A greater proportion of the total grass lignins was dissolved by alkali than with the lucerne lignins but digestion increased this proportion with both species. Of the lignin dissolved by alkali, less of it was precipitated on acidification when faeces (50–70%) were compared with the undigested hays (86–92%). Extraction of lignins with boiling alkali produced a lignin with the smallest amount of amino acids but considerably altered the chemical structure as revealed by nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.). Trypsin treatment of a cooler alkali extract was less effective in reducing amino acid contamination but did not alter the structure. Compared with the grass alkali lignins, the lucerne lignins had more total but fewer aromatic protons, fewer groups reacting with N ‐2,6‐trichloro‐ p ‐benzoquinone imine, ionisable hydroxyl groups and fewer methoxyl groups. On Sephadex G‐200 gel chromatography, three peaks were apparent with the lucerne, but only two with grass lignins. Both plant lignins showed large amounts of highly shielded n.m.r. protons but there were more with lucerne. Infrared spectra suggested that they were probably due to methyl groups. Digestion had very little effect on the n.m.r., ultraviolet or infrared spectra or the molecular weight distribution of the isolated lignins. It may have reduced the numbers of groups, reacting with N ‐2,6‐trichloro‐ p ‐benzoquinone imine with the grass and two maize samples examined, but appeared to have the opposite effect with the lucerne.