Low Molecular Weight Acids Research Articles

Novel Magnetically Separable Reduced Graphene Oxide (RGO)/ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 Nanocomposites for Enhanced Photocatalytic Performance toward 2,4-Dichlorophenol under Visible Light

Novel magnetically separable nanocomposite photocatalyst reduced graphene oxide (RGO)/ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4, prepared by the solvothermal and in situ precipitation method, was first investigated as the photocatalyst for 2,4-dichlorophenol (2,4-DCP) degradation under visible light irradiation. The catalysts with different mass ratios were systematically characterized with FT-IR, XPS, XRD, SEM, FESEM, UV–vis, and PL. The nanocomposite RGO/ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 showed enhanced photocatalytic activity and stability compared with pure Ag3PO4 under the same conditions. During the photocatalysis process, intermediates of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) and some other low molecular weight acids, including maleic acid, glyoxylic acid, glycolic acid, oxalic acid, acetic acid, and formic acid were detected through GC/MS. According to these analyses and the capture experiments of reactive species, the photocatalytic mechanism of RGO/ZnFe2O4/Ag3PO4 was discussed on the basis of the heterojunction energy-band theory and Z-scheme theory, and a possible degradation pathway of 2,4-DCP was also proposed.

The effect of coal rank on biogenic methane potential and microbial composition

Demand for natural gas is expected to increase faster than any other fossil fuel over the coming decades. Australian coal bed methane (CBM) resources are among the largest in the world and are already being utilized to meet increasing demand. The majority of methane contained within CBM producing coal beds is microbially generated and low rank coals are often associated with higher bioavailability. However, the results of previous studies are conflicting, and it is unclear how or if coal rank has an effect on microbial community structure. Here, enrichment cultures grown on coals spanning 13 different ranks (lignite to bituminous) were characterized with 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing and combined with volatile fatty acid (VFA) and headspace methane measurements to understand the effect of coal rank on CBM microbial communities. Our results show that there is a significant negative correlation between final methane yield and rank, suggesting that the bioavailability of the coal organic material decreases with increasing thermal maturity. The concentration of VFAs generally increased with decreasing rank and revealed that community composition was significantly correlated with the concentration of specific VFAs (e.g. acetate). These data suggest that the observed higher methane production from lower rank coals is linked to increased concentrations of low molecular weight acids desorbing from the coal. The increase in low molecular weight VFAs was associated with the enrichment of specific taxa known to specialize in the degradation of low molecular weight acids and alcohols.

Coupling effects of abiotic and biotic factors on molecular composition of dissolved organic matter in a freshwater wetland

In this study, temporal and spatial variations in five defined molecular size fractions of dissolved organic matter (DOM) were examined for a well preserved wetland (Upo Wetland) and its surrounding areas, and the influencing factors were explored with many biotic and abioic parameters. For each DOM sample, the five size fractions were determined by size-exclusion chromatography coupled with organic carbon detector (SEC-OCD). For 2-year long monthly monitoring, bio-polymers (BP), humic substances (HS), building blocks (BB), low molecular-weight (LMW) neutrals, and LMW acids displayed the median values of 264, 1884, 1070, 1090, and 11μg-CL−1, respectively, accounting for 6.2%, 41.7%, 24.5%, 26.4%, and 0.4% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). The dominant presence of HS indicated that terrestrial input played important roles in DOM composition of the freshwater ecosystem, which contrasted with coastal wetlands in other reports. Both seasonal and periodic patterns in the variations were found only for HS and BB among the size fractions. It was also notable that the sources of HS were seasonally shifted from aquagenic origin in winter to pedogenic origin in summer. The correlations among the size fractions revealed that BB and LMW neutrals might be degradation products from HS and humic-like substances (HS+BB), respectively, while LMW acids, from LMW neutrals. Principle component analysis revealed that the humic-like substances and the aromaticity of DOM were associated with temperature, chlorophyll a, phosphorous, and rainfall, whereas the other fractions and the molecular weight of HS were primarily affected by solar irradiation. Significant correlations between DOM composition and some biotic factors further suggested that DOM may even affect the biological communities, which provides an insight into the potential coupling effects of biotic and abiotic factors on DOM molecular composition in freshwater wetlands.

Water Extract from Straw Biochar Used for Plant Growth Promotion: An Initial Test

The production of energy and biochar from the pyrolysis of straw and other agricultural residues is a developing industry that holds the potential to reduce air pollution from in-field burning, recycle nutrients, reduce chemical fertilizer inputs, and improve soil quality. Use of biochar in agriculture is undergoing tests globally. Water-soluble organic compounds from pyrolysis residue containing humic substances, low-molecular weight acids, and neutral compounds and inorganic elements containing macro and micro nutrients have been shown to be beneficial for plant growth. In the present study, crop straw biochars were extracted into hot water and the extracts tested for their effect on growth of Chinese cabbage. The extracts were sprayed 10 times at three different dilutions throughout the growing period. The extracts were characterized for inorganic elements by ICP-MS and for organic compound type by LC-OCD and FTIR. Results showed that extracts of both wheat and maize straw biochar can significantly increase the yield, vitamin C content, and soluble protein content while decreasing the nitrate content of the cabbage at dilutions of 50 or 100 times. Water extract from biochar was found to have great potential as a liquid amendment in agricultural.

Physical solvent extraction of levulinic acid from dilute aqueous solution with 2-methyltetrahydrofuran

ABSTRACTThe results of the present investigation reveal that 2-methyltetrahydrofuran is a potential solvent for the extraction of levulinic acid from dilute aqueous solution. This conclusion is based on the relatively high values of distribution coefficient Kd (1.3-1.6) measured for the system of levulinic acid – water – 2-methyltetrahydrofuran at temperatures 298.2 K, 313.2 K, and 328.2 K, as well as encouraging performance of the continuous counter current Kühni column. The results give reason to believe, that 2-methyltetrahydrofuran can be considered for the extraction of other low molecular weight acids, such as formic or lactic acid, as well.

Tracking the monthly changes of dissolved organic matter composition in a newly constructed reservoir and its tributaries during the initial impounding period

Understanding the roles of inland reservoirs becomes increasingly important with respect to global carbon cycling as well as water resource management due to the unprecedented demand for construction in recent decades. In this study, the dissolved organic matter (DOM) quantity and quality in a newly constructed dam reservoir and its tributaries were monitored monthly during the initial impounding period (July to November 2014) using a size exclusion chromatography (SEC) with online organic carbon detector (OCD). The highest values were observed in the month of August with the highest precipitation for the bulk dissolved organic carbon (DOC), specific UV absorbance (SUVA), and most of the assigned size fractions (except for biopolymers) in the tributaries, indicating that allochthonous sources of DOM were dominant in the feeding stream waters of the reservoir. The bulk DOC and high molecular weight humic substance fraction (∼1kDa) were generally co-varied with the monthly precipitation in the tributaries, while building blocks (350-500Da), and low molecular weight (LMW) acids and neutrals showed different trends. In a dam site, the smaller molecular fractions became more abundant during the dry season (September to November), presumably due to the in-reservoir processes such as photo- and bio-degradation. Our results also revealed that storms mobilized a large amount of highly aromatic soil-derived DOM to the reservoir. A depth profile at the dam site showed the water is well mixed up to a depth of ∼20m. The SEC-OCD data coupled with non-metric multidimensional scaling provided a clear visualization of the spatiotemporal variations in DOM composition, which shed new light on the DOM composition formed in a newly constructed dam reservoir and also on the strategies for future water treatment options.

Kinetic Insights into the Hydrothermal Decomposition of Dihydroxyacetone: A Combined Experimental and Modeling Study

The hydrothermal decomposition of dihydroxyacetone (DHA) is investigated under subcritical water conditions between 493 and 553 K at 200 bar using microtubular and pilot-scale flow reactors. The product samples contained a mixture of low molecular weight acids and aldehydes, such as glyceraldehyde, glycolic acid, lactic acid, acetic acid, and methylglyoxal. Quantification of products accounted for all the input carbon, within 95 ± 5% between 493 and 533 K. A thermodynamically consistent kinetic model using thermodynamics of species derived from static electronic structure computational methods and rate parameters obtained from experimental data at initial stages of DHA decomposition is developed. The reaction pathway for DHA decomposition involves isomerization producing glyceraldehyde; dehydration to methylglyoxal; fragmentation to glycolic acid; and further decomposition of methylglyoxal to lactic acid, which becomes relevant at 553 K. The DHA product speciation is kinetically, rather than thermodynamically, controlled.

Physicochemical and in vitro evaluation of cationic liposome, hyaluronic acid and plasmid DNA as pseudo-ternary complexes for gene delivery

Abstract The association of liposome-based gene delivery systems with different biopolymers has been investigated to provide multifunctional properties for its complexes, such as alternative delivery routes and targeting delivery. Hyaluronic acid (HA) is an anionic mucoadhesive biopolymer that can interact to cell surface receptors. In this study, we explored the colloidal formation of pseudo-ternary complexes based on the electrostatic complexation among plasmid DNA (pDNA), cationic liposomes (CL) and hyaluronic acid of low molecular weight (16 kDa). We used extruded cationic liposomes composed of egg phosphatidylcholine (EPC), 1,2-dioleoyl- sn -glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine (DOPE) and 1,2-dioleoyl-3-trimethylammonium-propane (DOTAP) (molar proportion of 2:1:1, respectively), pDNA vector model with luciferase as reporter gene, and HA of low molecular weight of 16 kDa. The pseudo-ternary complexes were physicochemically characterized in terms of their hydrodynamic diameter, polydispersity, zeta potential, morphology and accessibility to pDNA probe. These results together indicated that the pDNA/CL complexes are most likely coated by HA molecules with the pDNA incorporated into the liposomal structure. To evaluate the biological viability of the complexes, we performed in vitro transfections of human epitheloid carcinoma (HeLa) cells. The pDNA/CL/HA complexes presented transfection efficiencies similar to the pseudo-binary pDNA/CL complexes for the different HA amounts studied. In addition, we carried out time-lapse imaging in living HeLa cells so we could monitor the kinetics of complexes internalization. We believe that these results may be useful for future developments of multifunctional nanocarriers that explore the association of materials with different net charge properties for gene delivery and vaccine therapy applications.

Organic breakdown products resulting from hydrothermal carbonization of brewer’s spent grain

Hydrothermal carbonization of brewer’s spent grain resulted in a solid hydrochar and an aqueous phase rich in macromolecular dissolved organic matter. Both phases were analyzed with regard to low molecular weight organic compounds (MW<500Da) in lyophilized form by exhaustive solvent extraction followed by pre-chromatographic derivatization and GC/MS-analysis. Low molecular weight acids, O-functionalized phenols, cyclopentenone derivatives, and benzenediols accounted for the majority of organic analytes in both hydrothermal carbonization product streams while being absent in solvent extracts of the pristine biomass. The pattern of short chain functionalized acids in the pristine biomass and in the hydrothermally produced matrices turned out very different. Acylglycerines as the most abundant lipids in pristine brewer’s spent grain were quantitatively hydrolyzed under hydrothermal conditions. The recovery of total fatty acids present in the pristine biomass amounted to 19%. The major fraction of hydrophobic breakdown products including fatty acids, fatty alcohols, and sterols was sorbed onto the hydrochar.

Characterisation of algal organic matter produced by bloom-forming marine and freshwater algae

Algal blooms can seriously affect the operation of water treatment processes including low pressure (micro- and ultra-filtration) and high pressure (nanofiltration and reverse osmosis) membranes mainly due to accumulation of algal-derived organic matter (AOM). In this study, the different components of AOM extracted from three common species of bloom-forming algae (Alexandrium tamarense, Chaetoceros affinis and Microcystis sp.) were characterised employing various analytical techniques, such as liquid chromatography – organic carbon detection, fluorescence spectroscopy, fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, alcian blue staining and lectin staining coupled with laser scanning microscopy to indentify its composition and force measurement using atomic force microscopy to measure its stickiness. Batch culture monitoring of the three algal species illustrated varying characteristics in terms of growth pattern, cell concentration and AOM release. The AOM produced by the three algal species comprised mainly biopolymers (e.g., polysaccharides and proteins) but some refractory compounds (e.g., humic-like substances) and other low molecular weight acid and neutral compounds were also found. Biopolymers containing fucose and sulphated functional groups were found in all AOM samples while the presence of other functional groups varied between different species. A large majority (>80%) of the acidic polysaccharide components (in terms of transparent exopolymer particles) were found in the colloidal size range (<0.4 μm). The relative stickiness of AOM substantially varied between algal species and that the cohesion between AOM-coated surfaces was much stronger than the adhesion of AOM on AOM-free surfaces. Overall, the composition as well as the physico-chemical characteristics (e.g., stickiness) of AOM will likely dictate the severity of fouling in membrane systems during algal blooms.

Photo-transformation of pedogenic humic acid and consequences for Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) speciation and bioavailability to green microalga

Humic substances (HS) play key role in toxic metal binding and protecting aquatic microorganisms from metal-induced stress. Any environmental changes that could alter HS concentration and reactivity can be expected to modify metal complexation and thus affect metal speciation and bioavailability to microalgae. The present study explores the influence of increased solar irradiance on the chemical structures and molecular weight of Elliott soil humic acid (EHA) and the associated consequences for Cd(II), Cu(II) and Pb(II) complexation and intracellular metal content in microalga. The results demonstrate that high radiance doses induce an oxidation of EHA with a formation of low molecular weight acids, an increase of –OH and –COOH group abundance, and a drop in EHA hydrodynamic size and molecular weight. The photo-induced structural changes are accompanied with a release of metal from M–EHA complexes and narrowing their size distribution, which in turn results in an increase of the intracellular Cd, Cu and Pb contents in microalga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii in agreement with the measured free metal ions concentrations.

Identification of thiamine monophosphate hydrolyzing enzymes in chicken liver

In animals, thiamine monophosphate (TMP) is an intermediate on the path of thiamine diphosphate, the coenzyme form of vitamin B1, degradation. The enzymes involved in TMP metabolism in animal tissues are not identified hitherto. The aim of this work was to study TMP hydrolysis in chicken liver. Two phosphatases have been found to contribute to TMP hydrolysis in liver homogenate. The first one, possessing a maximal activity at pH 6.0, is soluble, whereas the second one represents a membrane-bound enzyme with a pH optimum of 9.0. Membrane-bound TMPase activity was enhanced 1.7-fold by 5 mM Mg2+ ions and strongly inhibited by levamisole in uncompetitive manner with K1 of 53 μM, indicating the involvement of alkaline phosphatase. An apparent Km of alkaline phosphatase for TMP was calculated from the Hanes plot to be 0.6 mM. The soluble TMPase has an apparent Km of 0.7 mM; this enzyme is Mg2+ independent and insensitive to levamisole. As estimated by gel filtration on a Toyopearl HW-55 column, the soluble enzyme has a molecular mass of 17.8 kDa, TMPase activity being eluted simultaneously with peaks of flavinmononucleotide and p-nitrophenyl phosphatase activity. Thus, TMP appears to be a physiological substrate for a low-molecular weight acid phosphatase, also known as low-molecular-weight protein phosphotyrosine phosphatase.

Formation of brominated disinfection byproducts from natural organic matter isolates and model compounds in a sulfate radical-based oxidation process.

A sulfate radical-based advanced oxidation process (SR-AOP) has received increasing application interest for the removal of water/wastewater contaminants. However, limited knowledge is available on its side effects. This study investigated the side effects in terms of the production of total organic bromine (TOBr) and brominated disinfection byproducts (Br-DBPs) in the presence of bromide ion and organic matter in water. Sulfate radical was generated by heterogeneous catalytic activation of peroxymonosulfate. Isolated natural organic matter (NOM) fractions as well as low molecular weight (LMW) compounds were used as model organic matter. Considerable amounts of TOBr were produced by SR-AOP, where bromoform (TBM) and dibromoacetic acid (DBAA) were identified as dominant Br-DBPs. In general, SR-AOP favored the formation of DBAA, which is quite distinct from bromination with HOBr/OBr(-) (more TBM production). SR-AOP experimental results indicate that bromine incorporation is distributed among both hydrophobic and hydrophilic NOM fractions. Studies on model precursors reveal that LMW acids are reactive TBM precursors (citric acid > succinic acid > pyruvic acid > maleic acid). High DBAA formation from citric acid, aspartic acid, and asparagine was observed; meanwhile aspartic acid and asparagine were the major precursors of dibromoacetonitrile and dibromoacetamide, respectively.

Analytical pyrolysis of hot water pretreated forest biomass

Fast pyrolysis is a promising technology to promote wood biomass utilization. This thermochemical process produces mainly a liquid bio-oil. Currently, a direct application of bio-oil as fuel is limited due to its poor physicochemical properties.Pressurized Hot Water Treatment (PHWT) has been applied on white spruce and trembling aspen whole wood chips prior to production of pyrolysis oil. The effect of PHWT and the influence of the fast pyrolysis parameters on the bio-oil composition and products distribution were investigated by analytical pyrolysis coupled with gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (Py–GC/MS), it was carried out at two heating rates (100°C/min and 1000°C/min) and in temperature ranges from 350°C to 500°C for trembling aspen and from 400°C to 550°C for white spruce. The pyrolysis products were identified to belong to eleven chemical groups: syringyl derivatives, guaiacyl derivatives, other phenolics, anhydrosugars, low molecular weight acids, fatty acids, furans, pyrans, ketones, aldehydes and alcohols.The results of the analytical pyrolysis indicate that the higher yield is obtained from pretreated than from untreated biomass. The effect of the pretreatment is more important for the 1000°C/min heating rate than for 100°C/min. The composition analysis revealed that the higher peak area% of anhydrosugar were obtained from PHWT biomass at 1000°C/min while the phenols were the major constituents of the pyrolysis products obtained at lower, 100°C/min heating rate. It is also demonstrated that the acids are still found in pyrolysis products even after pretreatment. The Py–GC/MS results obtained in this study indicate that pretreatment affected the hardwood and softwood in quite different ways.

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) of freshwater biofilms stabilize and modify CeO2 and Ag nanoparticles.

Streams are potential receiving compartments for engineered nanoparticles (NP). In streams, NP may remain dispersed or settle to the benthic compartment. Both dispersed and settling NP can accumulate in benthic biofilms called periphyton that are essential to stream ecosystems. Periphytic organisms excrete extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) that interact with any material reaching the biofilms. To understand the interaction of NP with periphyton it is therefore crucial to study the interaction of NP with EPS. We investigated the influence of EPS on the physicochemical properties of selected NP (CeO2, Ag) under controlled conditions at pH 6, 7.6, 8.6 and light or dark exposure. We extracted EPS from five different periphyton communities, characterized the extracts, and exposed CeO2 and carbonate-stabilized Ag NP (0.5 and 5 mg/L, both 25 nm primary particle size) and AgNO3 to EPS (10 mg/L) over two weeks. We measured NP size distribution, shape, primary particle size, surface plasmon resonance, and dissolution. All EPS extracts were composed of biopolymers, building blocks of humic substances, low molecular weight (Mr) acids, and small amphiphilic or neutral compounds in varying concentrations. CeO2 NP were stabilized by EPS independent of pH and light/dark while dissolution increased over time in the dark at pH 6. EPS induced a size increase in Ag NP in the light with decreasing pH and the formation of metallic Ag NP from AgNO3 at the same conditions via EPS-enhanced photoreduction. NP transformation and formation were slower in the extract with the lowest biopolymer and low Mr acid concentrations. Periphytic EPS in combination with naturally varying pH and light/dark conditions influence the properties of the Ag and CeO2 NP tested and thus the exposure conditions within biofilms. Our results indicate that periphytic organisms may be exposed to a constantly changing mixture of engineered and naturally formed Ag NP and Ag+.

Assessing the interaction effects of coagulation pretreatment and membrane material on UF fouling control using HPSEC combined with peak-fitting

In this paper, the effects of alum coagulation pretreatment on the removal of natural organic matter (NOM) from surface water, and on fouling control of the subsequent ultrafiltration (UF) membrane filtration, were studied. Two kinds of UF membrane, made from polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cellulose acetate (CA), respectively, were tested. The dissolved organics were characterized by high performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC) with ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) detectors, in addition to the conventional organic parameters, such as nonpurgeable dissolved organic carbon (NPDOC) and UV254. The results show that coagulation pretreatment could reduce the flux decline of UF membrane filtration by removing some of the NOM. Alum coagulation was found to have higher removal for large molecular weight organics, such as biopolymers and humic substances, than for low molecular weight acids. The results from HPSEC revealed that the PVC membrane removed mainly the biopolymer fraction, while the CA membrane, in addition to biopolymers, also removed some of the more hydrophilic low molecular weight acids. As alum coagulation preferably removed biopolymers over low molecular weight acids, pre-coagulation had less effect on CA membrane flux decline control than on PVC membrane flux decline control.

Low-molecular weight organic acids and peptides involved in the long-distance transport of trace metals

Higher plants evolved mechanisms of uptake, distribution and accumulation of trace metals essential for the proper functioning of the organism (e.g., copper, zinc). Non-essential metals (e.g., cadmium, arsenic, lead) can also enter plant cells using the routes dedicated to the essential ones, because of the shared similar chemical and physical properties. Generally, trace elements are very reactive, able to generate reactive oxygen species and to interact or bind various organic ligands composed of C, H, O, N, P or S. Thus, after entering to the cells, metals are transported and sequestered mainly in a complex form, bound with amino acids, organic acids, peptides or specific metal-binding ligands. Considering diverse properties (e.g., pH value, abundancy of ions, redox state) characterizing cells, tissues and phloem or xylem sap, plants use various ligands to form stable complexes in different conditions. This literature review aims to provide a comprehensive overview on the role of low-molecular weight acids and peptides in trace metals translocation.

Ageing assessment of transformer paper insulation through post mortem analysis

A post mortem analysis of scrapped transformers provides an opportunity to directly measure the properties of in-service aged paper insulation. Investigations on 10 scrapped 275 kV and 400 kV power transformers were carried out, where Tensile Index (TI) and Low Molecular Weight Acid (LMA) of the paper insulation sampled from various locations were measured. Multiple-layer TI profile demonstrated the effect of oxidized oil on paper ageing which was confirmed by laboratory ageing experiments. It is LMA rather than High Molecular Weight Acid (HMA) that accelerates the paper degradation. LMA acts as the paper ageing accelerator and also as the paper degradation by-product, supporting the view that self-accelerated hydrolysis process is the main paper ageing mechanism. Finally, a generic relationship between LMA in paper and TI of paper was revealed based on both in-service and laboratory ageing data, i.e. the lower the TI of paper, the higher value of LMA in paper is measured. It implies that LMA in oil can be a potential paper ageing indicator pro viding a link between LMA in oil and paper is found.

Esterification of low molecular weight acids in cellulose

The interaction between low molecular weight acids dissolved in mineral oil with cellulose has been studied. The formation of esters as a function of temperature has been demonstrated using attenuated total reflection infrared (IR) spectroscopy. Higher temperatures lead to a shift towards ester formation compared to lower temperatures. This reaction might be reversed by exposing the cellulose to an excess of water at elevated temperatures. However, this hydrolysis of the esters will not be complete, leaving some of the initially free acids trapped in the paper as esters. Regarding degradation of the cellulose, only free acids with a carbonyl group available will enhance the break-up of the glycosidic bonds in the cellulose polymer. Therefore it seems more appropriate to use cold water extraction in order to quantify the amount of free acids in the paper/pressboard.

Determination of Impurities in Bioproduced Succinic Acid

At present, significant research resources are directed towards development of renewable products for replacing petrochemicals such as succinic acid. The critical component of this research is the identification of impurities which have a detrimental impact on further processing of succinic acid. We have adapted derivatization with gas chromatography - mass spectrometry to identify and quantify more than 120 impurities in several succinic acid samples. This study focused on petroleum based succinic acid as well as bio-based samples that use a modified E. coli strain for fermentation. To enable an accurate quantification of both the target product and common impurities, we evaluated the acetonitrile extraction efficiency as an alternative to direct derivatization, and then compared several derivatization agents for trimethylsilylation. A prior acetonitrile extraction was shown to be essential to detect impurities in trace concentrations. N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA) was most efficient for derivatization of saccharides and low molecular weight monocarboxylic acids. However, the presence of pyridine was necessary for derivatization of saccharides and polyalcohols with BSTFA, whereas low molecular weight acids had to be quantified without pyridine. Fourteen representative bioproduced succinic acid samples differing in production stage, and cultivation method were characterized. The screening of initial process (1st stage of synthesis) samples showed monocarboxylic acids as most abundant and suggested occurrence of saccharides. Thus we have developed method allowing for quantification of carboxylic acids and saccharides with limits of detection between 0.02-0.3 ng. In initial process bacterial samples and also petrochemical sample, formic, acetic, lactic, oxalic, benzoic, citric and malic acids as well as glycerol, butanediol, and glucose were found in a range of 0.02-1160 μg/g. In final processed samples, formic and acetic acid, and glucose were found in concentration lower than 0.001% demonstrating effectiveness of process as well as applicability of the method as quality control of the process.