News

From 15 to 17 June, researchers from the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC) presented their latest research at the 12th International Conference on Green Chemistry and Nanotechnologies in Polymeric Materials (GCNPM 2026), held in San Sebastián, Spain. The conference brought together researchers, scientists, and industry representatives to discuss the latest advances in green chemistry and polymer science. The scientific programme covered a wide range of topics, including bio-based polymers, polymer recycling, environmentally friendly polymerisation methods, and other solutions...

From 16 to 19 June, the international BIOSORBWATECH project seminar took place at Maria Curie-Skłodowska University in Lublin, Poland. Project partners from Latvia, Poland, Sweden, and Ukraine gathered to present their areas of expertise, discuss the project's work plan, and establish a strong foundation for future collaboration. The project aims to develop innovative and sustainable biosorbent solutions for water purification. Clean water is one of the world's most valuable natural resources, yet it is increasingly threatened by industrial, agricultural, and other forms of anthropogenic...

A research project by Xinru Xie on papermaking from black tea residues, carried out at the Cellulose Laboratory of the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), was presented at the GENIUS Olympiad 2026, an international high school project competition held this June in Rochester, New York (USA). Xinru Xie, an 11th-grade student at Riga State Classical Gymnasium, presented her project, "Papermaking from black tea waste with hemp, pine and waste paper fibers". The aim of the research was to evaluate the potential of black tea residues as an alternative raw material for papermaking...

The analytical instrumentation at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry has been enhanced with a single quadrupole mass spectrometer (MS) integrated into the Institute’s existing gas chromatograph (GC), flame ionization detector (FID), and Headspace sampling system. Together, these components form a unified analytical platform that not only enables the quantification of volatile organic compounds but also their precise identification based on their chemical composition and molecular structure. The gas chromatograph separates complex mixtures into individual components, while the mass...

Thermochemical conversion of biomass is one of the long-standing research areas at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC). From fundamental studies of pyrolysis processes to the development of novel materials for energy storage technologies, the Institute’s researchers have been working for decades on solutions that enable more efficient use of renewable resources and reduce dependence on fossil-based feedstocks. The latest research results were presented this summer at the 25th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (PYRO2026), held in Pisa, Italy, bringing...

During the 2025/2026 academic year, several students chose to develop their bachelor’s and master’s theses at the Latvian State Institute of Wood Chemistry (LSIWC), taking important steps in their scientific careers and contributing to the next generation of researchers in the fields of bioeconomy, materials science, green chemistry, and biotechnology. The students’ research covered a wide range of topics, from the utilisation of lignin and other biomass resources for the development of high-value products to biosorbents, sustainable food packaging, polyurethane foams, mycelium composites, and...