The wood biomass obtained from four tree species: spruce, beech, willow and alder was studied. Sawdust obtained by sawing of wood was dried in a convective dryer at 80 °C, without drying-agent flow. The measurements taken with oven-drying method covered determination of initial moisture and its detailed changes during entire drying process. Both DSC curves and spectral data from infrared spectra registered in the classic MIR range were also used to monitor change in water content in studied samples within entire drying process. Results obtained suggest that the DSC curves can be efficiently used as a discriminant to distinguish dry and wet biomass samples, as significant differences within courses of specific DSC curves of woody biomass before and after drying process occurred. Calorimetrically measured values of enthalpy of evaporation of water and water content in studied biomass samples were directly proportional to high determination coefficient, i.e. 0.9653. Statistical analysis proved quantitative directly proportional correlation between content of water measured with oven-drying method and IR spectral data of studied samples.

In this study, 27 market and edible cold-pressed oils from 10 different oilseeds were analysed. Oxidative stability and the chemical composition of oils were evaluated. The oils were investigated for their primary quality, fatty acid composition, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity. Rancimat and pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) were used to assess oils oxidative stability. Principal component analysis (PCA) was conducted to determinate impact of selected chemical characteristics on tested oils’ oxidative stability in accelerated modes. PCA indicated that none of the chemical compounds correlated strongly with the oils’ oxidative stability determined by the Rancimat method. Correlation coefficients describing the impact of different chemical compounds on induction time determined using the Rancimat method were between r = −0.54 (C18:3) to r = 0.62 (chlorophyll pigments). Oxidative stability of oils determined using the Rancimat and pressure differential scanning calorimetry (PDSC) were characterised by low correlation (r = 0.66). According to the statistical analyses, oils were divided into four groups, which depend on the method of oxidative stability evaluation did not differ.