3. Lignin recovery routes

As the preceding paragraphs have shown, lignin is a biopolymer with singular characteristics. Its aromatic structure, physico-chemical properties and relative abundance are increasingly attracting the attention of the scientific and industrial communities. The complexity and heterogeneity of lignins make their valorization a real challenge.

Today, lignin is mainly used as an energy source in the paper industry. Other commercial applications have been in place for several years, exploiting lignin's surface-active properties in concrete in particular. These applications use lignin as a low-value-added polymer. Other strategies with greater potential are the subject of numerous studies. These exploit lignin's potential as a source of platform molecules for the chemical industry