This study presents the effect of biomass origin on the yield, nanostructure and reactivity of soot. Soot was produced from wood and herbaceous biomass pyrolysis at high heating rates and at temperatures of 1250 and 1400 degrees C in a drop tube furnace. The structure of solid residues was characterized by electron microscopy techniques, X-ray diffraction and N2 adsorption. The reactivity of soot was investigated by thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed that soot generated at 1400 degrees C was more reactive than soot generated at 1250 degrees C for all biomass types. Pinewood, beechwood and wheat straw soot demonstrated differences in alkali content, particle size and nanostructure. Potassium was incorporated in the soot matrix and significantly influenced soot reactivity. Pinewood soot particles produced at 1250 degrees C had a broader particle size range (27.2-263 nm) compared to beechwood soot (33.2-102 nm) and wheat straw soot (11.5-165.3 nm), and contained mainly multi-core structures. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.