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Abstract

The present invention provides for a method to convert water-insoluble lignin into water-soluble polyacid, the method comprising: (a) contacting a chelator/Fe complex with a water-insoluble lignin to produce a reaction mixture, (b) introducing an oxidizing agent to the reaction mixture, (c) incubating the reaction mixture for a suitable period of time, (d) introducing further water-insoluble lignin to the reaction mixture during step (c); (e) introducing further oxidizing agent to the reaction mixture incubating step (c); and (f) optionally repeating step (d) and/or step (e) one or more times; such that at least about 90% of the water-insoluble lignin in the reaction mixture is converted into a water-soluble polyacid by the opening of at least one aromatic ring in each water-insoluble lignin.

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First Claim