Chemical modification of montan resin by peracetic acid and agricultural application of its modified products
Creators: name: Zhang, Huifen
name: Qin, Hao
name: Li, Bao-cai
name: Qin, Yi
name: Wang, Huan-hong
name: Zhang, Bing
name: Zhang, Mi
Publisher: name: Taylor & Francis
Year: 2020
Subjects: subject: Biochemistry
subject: Space Science
subject: Biotechnology
subject: Sociology
subject: FOS: Sociology
subject: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Ecology
subject: FOS: Biological sciences
subject: Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified
subject: Inorganic Chemistry
subject: FOS: Chemical sciences
subject: Plant Biology

description: Montan resin (MR) is a by-product produced during the refinement process of montan wax extracted from lignite and has no usage yet. Chemical modification is an effective method to change material property for expanding or converting the application area of material itself. Our previous study found that the high hydrophobicity of MR is the primary limiting factor for its utilization in agriculture. Based on this point, this study attempted to chemically modify MR using the oxidation of peracetic acid, resulting that the MR hydrophilicity was significantly improved, and a water-soluble product (WSP) was obtained. The optimized oxidation conditions of MR, including the reaction temperature (X<sub>1</sub>), reaction time (X<sub>2</sub>), weight ratio of oxidant and montan resin (X<sub>3</sub>), and oxidant concentration (X<sub>4</sub>), were determined using single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. The modification degree was evaluated using elemental and oil-water partition coefficient analyses, infrared (IR) spectroscopy, and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), revealing that the oil-water partition coefficient of the modified product decreased and that the number of chemical constituents with oxygen-containing functional groups clearly increased after modification. Furthermore, the WSP was tested its effects on germination and seedling growth of wheat seed. Compared with the control group, the WSP showed a promoting effect on the growth and germination of wheat. The WSP concentrations of 600 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> and 300 mg·L<sup>−1</sup> had the most substantial effect on the root and seedling growth of wheat, respectively.
ImplicationsMontan resin, a useless by-product produced from crude montan wax, was chemically modified via oxidation of peracetic acid. Its hydrophilicity was significantly improved, and a water-soluble product was obtained after the chemical modification. The optimized oxidation conditions of montan resin were determined using single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. The amount of chemical constituents with oxygen-containing functional groups increased in the modified products after modification, as determined by IR and GC-MS analysis, among other methods. The water-soluble modified product showed an obvious effect in promoting growth and germination of wheat at 600 mg·L-1 and 300 mg·L-1, respectively.
 Implications Montan resin, a useless by-product produced from crude montan wax, was chemically modified via oxidation of peracetic acid. Its hydrophilicity was significantly improved, and a water-soluble product was obtained after the chemical modification. The optimized oxidation conditions of montan resin were determined using single-factor experiments and response surface analysis. The amount of chemical constituents with oxygen-containing functional groups increased in the modified products after modification, as determined by IR and GC-MS analysis, among other methods. The water-soluble modified product showed an obvious effect in promoting growth and germination of wheat at 600 mg·L-1 and 300 mg·L-1, respectively.