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This paper examines the impact of the CO2 laser parameters on the tensile strength, which is one of the most important properties of paper packaging in the process of cutting paper material. The study was performed on a paper material sample Fbb Board/Ningbo Spark C1S Ivory Board by examination of the influence of four independent variables: paper material grammage, cutting speed, laser power, and resolution on the tensile strength by using definitive screening design. Optimum process conditions of four variables that maximize the tensile strength were predicted and validated accordingly. Results confirm that laser power, paper material grammage, and cutting speed are the main process parameters that mostly affect the tensile strength. Besides individual parameters, two statistically significant interactions were obtained: laser power and cutting speed, and cutting speed and laser resolution. Maximum tensile strength values (20.37 N/mm) were achieved using the laser power of 60.6%, cutting speed of 3.24%, resolution of 2500 Hz, and a paper material grammage of 326.85 g/m2. With laser power at middle values and at a lower speed, a maximum tensile strength value can be obtained. Increasing the laser power and cutting speed will produce a slight lowering of tensile strength.

The main challenges to overcome within the Fenton process are the acidic pH as an optimal reaction condition, sludge formation in neutral pH medium and high toxicity of treated printing wastewater due to the generation of contaminating by-products. This research discusses the catalytic activity of homogeneous (FeSO4/H2O2) and heterogeneous (Fe2(MoO4)3/H2O2) Fenton processes in treatment of Yellow azo printing dye in synthetic aqueous solution and real printing effluent, with an integration of adsorption on functionalized biochar synthesized from wild plum kernels. The definitive screening design (DSD), was used to design the experiment. Independent variables were initial dye concentration (20–180 mg L−1), iron concentration (0.75–60 mg L−1), pH (2–10) and hydrogen peroxide concentration (1–11 mM). Higher decolourization efficiency of 79% was obtained within homogeneous Fenton treatment of printing wastewater, in comparison to heterogeneous Fenton treatment (54%), after a reaction time of 60 min. Same trend of mineralization degree was established: COD removal was 59% and 33% for homogeneous and heterogeneous Fenton process, respectively. The application of adsorption treatment has achieved significant advantages in terms of toxicity reduction (95%) and decolourization efficiency (90% of TOC removal and 22% of dye removal) of treated samples, even at neutral pH medium. Degradation mechanisms within Fenton and adsorption processes were proposed based on the qualitative gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analysis, physico-chemical properties of dye degradation products and functionalized biochar. Overall, the homogeneous Fenton/adsorption combined process can be potentially used as a treatment to remove azo dyes from contaminated water.

Heterogeneous Fenton catalyst Fe2(MoO4)3 was prepared and the process efficiency was evaluated for oxidation of water-based Cyan flexo dye in synthetic aqueous solution and printing wastewater. The removal process of printing dye was analyzed by UV/VIS spectrophotometry, while dye mineralization was evaluated by the determination of total organic carbon content and chemical oxygen demand. Four determinants of the heterogeneous Fenton system, including initial dye concentration, iron concentration, pH and hydrogen peroxide concentration were investigated. Statistical method, definitive screening design was applied to generate optimal operational conditions of the four variables, which maximizes the process of dye removal. The initial dye concentration of 20 mgL-1, catalyst dosage of 0.75 mgL-1, pH of 2 and H2O2 concentration of 11 mM were chosen as the best operational conditions, contributing to 82% of the process efficiency. The Fenton process efficiency of 79% was achieved within the treatment of printing wastewater under optimal conditions for a 90 minute reaction time. The maximum COD removal efficiency was 61.1%, while 67% mineralization was achieved. The obtained results confirmed synergistic effect of Fe3+ and MoO4 2− which contributed to high catalytic activity and high heterogeneous Fenton efficiency. [Project of the Serbian Ministry of Education, Science and Technological Development, Grant no. TR 34014 and Grant no. III43005]