Klason Lignin
Klason Lignin Determination · Also known as: acid-insoluble lignin, lignin content
The Klason lignin method is a standard chemical test for quantifying the acid-insoluble lignin content in wood and plant biomass. Developed by Erik Klason in 1908, the method treats wood with sulfuric acid to dissolve carbohydrates (cellulose and hemicellulose) while leaving the acid-insoluble lignin residue. Klason lignin is widely used in wood science, pulp chemistry, and biomass characterization to assess wood composition and predict properties.
Read the full method
Sign in with a free account to read this section.
Method map
The neighbourhood of related methods — select a node to explore.
When to use it
Use Klason lignin determination when you need to quantify the acid-insoluble lignin fraction in wood or plant biomass, for example to characterize wood composition, assess pulping efficiency, evaluate biomass pretreatment, or compare species in wood chemistry research.
Strengths & limitations
- Highly standardized (TAPPI T222, NREL/TP-510-42618) and widely used, enabling cross-laboratory comparison
- Provides absolute lignin content as a weight percentage, directly applicable to pulp and biorefinery process design
- Applicable to a broad range of lignocellulosic materials including wood, straw, and agricultural residues
- Does not account for acid-soluble lignin, which may be significant in some species (especially softwoods)
- Time-consuming two-step acid hydrolysis procedure with strict temperature and timing requirements
- Protein contamination in non-wood biomass can inflate Klason lignin estimates
Sources
How to cite this page
ScholarGate. (2026, June 3). Klason Lignin Determination. ScholarGate. https://scholargate.app/en/forestry/klason-lignin
Which method?
Set this method beside its closest kin and read them side by side — the library lays the books on the table; the choice is yours.
- Cellulose CrystallinityForestry↔ compare
- Wood ShrinkageForestry↔ compare
- X-ray DensitometryForestry↔ compare