Chemical and physical characterization of water- and dew-retted flax fibers

Abstract The composition of dew-retted and water-retted flax fibers were evaluated by chemical and mass spectral analyses to determine their chemical differences. Phenolics, waxes, cutin, and carbohydrates were determined by gas liquid chromatography. Water-retted fibers contained more residual wax and lower arabinose content than the dew-retted and were finer and stronger. Pyrolysis mass spectrometric analysis differentiated water- and dew-retted fibers. Principal component analysis of the chemical data including both strength and fineness measurements produced a grouping of the water-retted samples distinct from the dew-retted fibers. Principal component analysis of the mass spectral data produced the same grouping based mass markers characteristic of the chemical components that were associated with the initial grouping with fineness and strength measurements.