Page 258 - Applied Pharmacognosy

4- Pyrolysis

Is the thermal decomposition of a substance into fragments of low
molecular weight.
Applications, for the analysis of :
natural polymers such as proteins, polysaccharides and antibiotics.
synthetic polymers such PVC (polyvinylchloride).
Large molecules (non volatile) cleave at their weakest points and produce
smaller, more volatile fragments.
Pyrolysis GC chromatograms are typically complex because a wide range
of different decomposition products is formed.

.Data is used as fingerprint to prove material identity

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