Elucidating the origin of cellulose in various fibers and textiles via gas chromatography coupled with high resolution mass spectrometry based on pyrolysis behavior

The identification of cellulose fibers from different sources remains a significant challenge across various fields due to their complex structural composition and diverse applications. In this study, pyrolysis gas chromatography/high-resolution mass spectrometry (Py-GC/HRMS) was employed to identify cellulose fibers and fabrics utilizing a relative ratio approach based on pyrolyzate yield, with levoglucosan (LG) as the primary peak, furfural (FF) and 5-methyl-2(3H)-furanone (α-AL) as reference peaks. Initially, four cellulose fibers had large discrepancies in pyrolyzate yield relative ratios when pyrolyzed at 600°C. The FF to LG ratios were 0.58-0.83 for cotton, 0.25-0.35 for flax, 0.14-0.18 for viscose, and 0.05-0.07 for tencel, while the α-AL to LG ratios were 0.64-0.88 for cotton, 0.29-0.38 for flax, 0.18-0.22 for viscose, and 0.03-0.05 for tencel. The relative proportion of fabrics has significantly decreased compared to fibers, which indicated that the manufacturing process affected the fiber components. It confirmed that alkaline bleaching can effectively eliminate fiber impurities and enhance cellulose content, which contribute to the increase of LG yield and the decrease of relative ratio. This work marks the inaugural differentiation of four cellulose fibers and fabrics using Py-GC/HRMS, offering a valuable methodology and pivotal reference data for future investigations in the field.