Short path to bioactivity: chemical profiling and bioactive potential of lipophilic Norway spruce (Picea abies) extract fractions

Wood production and processing is one of the main industries in Northern Europe. Timber has many uses in construction and daily life; however, timber production creates a significant side-stream – logging residue, which consists of smaller branches and in the case of coniferous trees, needles. This forestry side-stream is commonly used for the production of bioenergy or left untouched creating environmental risks. To reduce the amount of logging residue and create a viable processing strategy, the chemical composition and possible benefits of biomass refining should be examined. The aim of this study was to develop a fractionation approach of non-polar, lipid extract from the logging residue of Norway spruce (Picea abies), demonstrating the application potential of obtained fractions. The raw lipophilic extract was fractionated using short path distillation into 14 fractions with distinct characteristics. Obtained fractions were characterised using UV, FTIR and chemical composition was determined using GC/MS. The prepared fractions contained 206 compounds belonging to monoterpenes, sesquiterpenes, labdanes, abietanes, pimaranes, triterpenoids, sterols and other minor groups of compounds. Fractions were tested to identify antimicrobial, antifungal activities and cytotoxic effects on melanoma cells. It was shown that specific groups of compounds possess specific activities, highlighting the potential application fields. Further research on the undistillable part of the lipophilic extract and its application to achieve zero-waste processing goals is needed. Fractionation of spruce lipophilic extractives has been demonstrated as a processing option to create a multi-product biorefinery approach from logging residue, encouraging circularity and bioeconomy-based solution adoption into the forestry sector.