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Policosanol, α-Tocopherol, and Moisture Content as a Function of Timing of Harvest of Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.)

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Sathya Vandhana Ravindranath, Nirmal Uppugundla, Jackson O. Lay, Edgar C. Clausen, Mark Wilkins, Robert G. Ingraham, Charles West, Yanqi Wu and Danielle Julie Carrier*

^† Department of Biological and Agricultural Engineering

^‡ Department of Chemistry

^§ Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering

Department of Crop, Soil, and Environmental Sciences

University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas 72701

Department of Biosystems and Agricultural Engineering

^# Department of Plant and Soil Sciences

Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, Oklahoma 74078

J. Agric. Food Chem., 2009, 57 (9), pp 3500–3505

DOI: 10.1021/jf803846e

Publication Date (Web): March 26, 2009

*To whom correspondence should be addressed. Fax: 479-575-2846. E-mail: carrier@uark.edu.

Section:

Plant Biochemistry

Abstract

Using switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) as a cellulosic feedstock for the production of ethanol could lead to the extraction of co-products prior to the pretreatment step, thereby adding value to the ethanol conversion process. Policosanols, registered as 142583-61-7, are present in Poaceae and are a mixture of long-chained primary alcohols. Policosanols are composed mainly of docosanol (C₂₂), tetracosanol (C₂₄), hexacosanol (C₂₆), octacosanol (C₂₈), triacontanol (C₃₀), and dotriacontanol (C₃₂). This study determined changes in moisture, policosanol, and α-tocopherol concentrations of Cave-in-Rock and Blackwell switchgrass cultivars during maturation from July to December in Arkansas and Oklahoma. Moisture content on a dry weight basis declined from 150 to 50% with progressive harvests. The total policosanol concentration ranged between 89 mg/kg for July harvested Cave-in-Rock switchgrass from Arkansas and 182 mg/kg for August harvested Cave-in-Rock switchgrass for Oklahoma, and these values remained relatively constant throughout the season. This is the first report on the presence of policosanols in switchgrass. Total switchgrass policosanol concentrations were lower than those typically reported for sorghum grains; however, switchgrass-extracted policosanols contained different policosanol ratios, wherein C₃₀ and C₃₂ alcohol ranges were 36−41 and 43−50%, respectively. α-Tocopherol extracted from both switchgrass cultivars varied between 320 and 400 mg/kg but decreased in the October harvest after frost.

Keywords:

Panicum virgatum; switchgrass; policosanol; α-tocopherol; moisture content

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This article has been cited by 1 ACS Journal articles (1 most recent appear below).

Switchgrass Water Extracts: Extraction, Separation and Biological Activity of Rutin and Quercitrin
Nirmal Uppugundla, Abigail Engelberth, Sathya Vandhana Ravindranath, Edgar C. Clausen, Jackson O. Lay, Jennifer Gidden and Danielle Julie Carrier
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry2009 57 (17), 7763-7770
- Switchgrass Water Extracts: Extraction, Separation and Biological Activity of Rutin and Quercitrin
  Nirmal Uppugundla, Abigail Engelberth, Sathya Vandhana Ravindranath, Edgar C. Clausen, Jackson O. Lay, Jennifer Gidden and Danielle Julie Carrier
  Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry2009 57 (17), 7763-7770
  Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) has recently received significant attention as a possible feedstock for the production of liquid fuels such as ethanol. In addition, switchgrass may also be a source of valuable co-products, such as antioxidants, and our ...
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