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Pinus Contorta

Exploring the fascinating world of cellulose fibers and lignin in wood from the Pinus Contorta. The tree species is a controversial one in Iceland as it is one of the most successful and most used species in Iceland’s reforestation effort. The tree is non-native to Iceland but preliminary results from a long term study (which I happened to get to help with a few years back) suggests that the Pinus Contorta has beneficial effects on the native birch trees. 
In my research I came across the fascinating potentials of lignin, a glue-like material that binds the cellulose strands together, and was once considered a nuisance for papermaking but is now being called “brown gold”.
With the help from my former high school chemistry teacher I attempted to isolate the lignin from wood pulp using Sodium Hydroxide, a very hazardous chemical used in papermaking.