A combination of analytical techniques, specifically capillary zone electrophoresis, H-1 pulsed-field gradient nuclear magnetic resonance se (diffusion measurements and quantitative UV spectrophotometric measurements, was used to investigate physicochemical differences between dissolved and precipitated kraft lignin (KL)fragments, obtained from the same sample. Precipitation was induced by heating alkaline (pOH4)Indulin AT solutions, containing various concentrations of NaCl (0.20-1.0 mol/L), at 75 degreesC. Depending on the salt concentration in the samples, different amounts of KL were precipitated. The KL precipitated at the lowest NaCl concentrations was found to consist of the largest lignin fragments whereas, at high NaCl concentrations, the KL fragments in the supernatants were found to be of comparably lower mean molecular weights. From the outcome of the investigation, it was found that the combination of analytical techniques used provides the possibility of collecting important information about physicochemical characteristics related to the solution behaviour of industrial lignins.