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The pineapple leaves (PL) left over in the fields after pineapple harvest or burnt out, generate waste which contributes to the release of greenhouse gases. As pineapple is one of the most harvested crops in the world, the quantity of pineapple trash and its disposal methods are challenging. The composition of PL waste makes it unique to encounter the increasing demand for renewable energy and other useful products. This review is focused on the production of different biorefinery products and miscellaneous products from PL waste. The high cellulose content in PL makes it a potential feedstock for the production of different biorefinery products like bioethanol, oligosaccharides, nitrocellulose, and humic acid apart from this, waste is also useful for the production of different products like pineapple leaf fibres, fake eyelashes, organic leather, pulp and paper. Although the opportunities, future perspectives, and challenges concerning PL waste utilization to value-added goods were also addressed. It has been demonstrated that pineapple waste conversions lower waste creation, and the products produced by the conversion would promote the 'waste-to-wealth' notion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although they are pegged to receive, emergencies occur with some frequency and sometimes cannot be "predicted" or even when emergency situations occur they become crucial and can save an organization from a harmful disbursement. However, most urgent purchases are oriented toward the low or inexistent planning, which, in addition to the economic factor in increasing the value of the good or the service, affects the areas involved, and even the image of the organization, the environmental and safety factors. Thus, the cause of emergencies becomes an indication and the negotiations can mean reduction of millions in expenses of large industries. Thus, the study became systemic in the emergency purchases of a large Brazilian pulp and paper producer, in addition, a methodology that allowed the reduction of planting and application costs. As a result, the goal of a 10% reduction in emerging expenditures in 2018 when compared to the previous year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents manufacture and testing of paper boards made from recycled paper pulp. The aim was to create material for creating paper boards which could be used in furniture design with various shapes. The used types of pulp were deinked pulp (DIP) and old corrugated cardboards (OCC). Several test pieces - paper boards were made with different combinations of materials and its mechanical and physical properties were tested. The used glue for each material was urea formaldehyde glue and starch in combination with glucose. The tests which were done were determination of density and density profile (EN 323:2005), moisture content (EN 322:2005), modulus of elasticity in bending and bending strength (EN 310:1993), thickness swelling and water absorption (EN317:2005), internal bond (EN 319:2005) and screw withdrawal resistance (EN 320:2011). The aim was to create material for creating boards which could be used in furniture design with various shapes. The result of this paper shows possible material combinations which could be used for furniture parts. Paper boards will be used for table top of side table in following steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Siamese people utilized the bark of the Coi tree (Streblus asper Lour.) to manufacture paper approximately 330 years ago. However, there are no studies yet related to the chemical properties of Coi bark as well as the morphological properties of Coi bark fiber and Coi pulp fiber. This research paper discussed such properties of Coi bark. The results indicated that Coi bark possessed a chemical composition that could potentially be used for pulp production, although it contained a high value of ash content, due to many calcium particles in the bark. Even though Coi pulp fibers were very long and stiff, with small lumens and thick cell walls, they could be felted naturally on a washing screen to make a strong wet sheet. This was due to a high felting power of fibers derived from a high value of fiber length and slenderness ratio. Therefore, the handsheets produced from Coi pulp fiber were obtained without chemical and beating treatments. These observations mean that both the archaeological and industrial applications of Coi bark, i.e., an ancient Samud Coi preservation and a new potential source of pulp fiber, are possible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work assesses six different agricultural residues with the aim of finding alternative raw materials for a soda semichemical pulping process: stems of bell and chili pepper ( Capsicum annuum ), broad bean ( Vicia faba ), asparagus ( Asparagus officinalis ), pea ( Pisum sativum ), and okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus ). Pulping yields higher than 60% (m/m) were obtained, except for pea stems (43%). The drainability of all the pulps, expressed as the Schopper-Riegler index (ºSR), had values of over 70 ºSR. The Kajaani analyses of the fibers showed acceptable fiber lengths in all cases (0.64–0.92 mm), but on average shorter than the lengths of pulps from a commercial fluting paper (Old corrugated Container, OCC), that was found to be 1.27 mm. Handsheets of paper were produced both with the pulps under study and with mixtures of these pulps with OCC pulp. Several properties were measured to assess the use of the new fibers in a paper for cardboard production. The property showing the greatest differences was the Gurley porosity, ranging from 25 mL/min (asparagus) to 1300 mL/min (broad bean). Of the six residues tested, the okra residue fiber showed better properties than the commercial paper fiber (Concora Medium Test indexes: 1.5 N m 2 /g and 1.1 N m 2 /g respectively, Burst Indexes: 2.3 kPa m 2 /g and 1.7 kPa m 2 /g, respectively), yielding similar mechanical properties to those of high quality fibers obtained from miscanthus ( Miscanthus giganteus ). Broad bean residue could also be a promising raw material, though its properties are not as good as okra’s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to characterize the properties of pulp and paper produced from tea (Camellia sinensis) wastes, an agricultural residue widely available in Turkey, using the kraft-anthraquinone (AQ) cooking method. The chemical components and fiber morphology of tea wastes were investigated. The results indicated that tea wastes had low holocellulose, cellulose, and a-cellulose contents and high lignin content. Also, the suitability of the fiber for pulp and paper production was examined, and the fiber length, fiber width, lumen diameter, and cell wall thickness were measured. According to these values, it was found that the strength properties of papers obtained from tea wastes were insufficient. Therefore, tea waste pulps were mixed with Turkish pine pulps at various ratios. Twelve different cooking experiments were performed on the tea wastes, and the cooking with the best pulp yield was used for mixing. The second cooking, with 0.1% AQ, gave the best yield (33.26%), an increase of about 3.51% compared to the first cooking with no AQ. The physical and optical properties of the papers were also examined. Results showed that paper properties were improved by increasing the Turkish pine pulp rate. Consequently, tea wastes can be used in pulp and paper production when combined with softwood pulps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the operating conditions used in the sodaanthraquinone pulping of Eucalyptus globulus wood after autohydrolysis pretreatment on the yield, kappa number, and brightness of the resulting unbleached pulp. Moreover, strength-related properties of the resulting handsheets was examined to identify the best pulping conditions and compare the outcome with that of a conventional soda-anthraquinone pulping process. The paper strength properties of the pulp were similar to or better than papers made from soda-AQ delignified pulps conducted in a single step. Also, a liquid fraction with a substantial content in hemicellulosic extracts was recovered in the simplified process. Autohydrolysis of the raw material facilitates carrying out soda-AQ pulping under milder conditions. In addition, autohydrolysis improves other properties relative to paper from raw cellulose pulp. Yield, kappa number, and brightness for pulp from solid residues of autohydrolysed eucalyptus wood were similar to those for pulp from untreated eucalyptus wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomaterials from olive tree pruning are an abundant agricultural residue in various Mediterranean regions. A suggested use of this residue is its separation in a main fraction (trunks and stems with diameter > 1 cm) and a residual fraction (leaves and stems with diameter 1 < cm), using biorefinery procedures. The main fraction is cooked with ethanol, giving rise to a pulp, which can be used either in paper or in bioethanol production if before pulping the main fraction is subjected to a hydrothermal treatment. Pulping with 70% ethanol concentration, 185 °C for 80 min resulted in a pulp with a yield of 46.30% and a content of holocellulose, α-cellulose, and lignin of 77.17%, 62.49%, and 21.73%, respectively. The paper sheets obtained had a breaking length of 1168 m, a burst index of 0.44 kN /g, a tear index of 2.25 mN.m²/g, and a brightness of 43.66%. The pulp converted into bioethanol (by simultaneous hydrolysis and fermentation) achieved a conversion of 70 g bioethanol/100 g potential bioethanol. The residual fraction of olive tree prunings was subjected to combustion to produce thermal energy. The heating value was 18700 kJ/kg, the flame temperature range was 1094 to 2013 ºC, and the dew point temperature range of the flue gases was 47 to 53 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, the prospect of integrating a combined paper&pulp mill with fuel production via biomass gasification was investigated. In the study, three different types of gasifiers (circulating fluidised bed, entrained flow and indirect gasification) and three fuel processes (dimethyl ether, methanol and Fischer-Tropsch wax synthesis) were investigated using computer simulations. The paper reports differences from the stand-alone cases and the integrated cases, using the electricity equivalence efficiency as a measure. Only 6 out of the 18 integrated cases studied displayed a positive result from integration and no obvious fuel selection that stand out as the most beneficial one, however the synthesis of dimethyl ether is, in combination with all gasifiers assessed a rather good choice, with an change in efficiency from integration ranging from −1% to 4%. Dimethyl ether is not the best choice if the electrical equivalence is to be maximised however. In this case the combination of circulating fluidised bed gasification and methanol synthesis should be pursued. The production of Fischer-Tropsch wax should according to the chosen measure not be produced; however there is an added value in the production of a non-oxygenated fuel which has not been taken into account in this particular study. All cases leads to a reduction of 0.4–0.9 kg CO2 per kg of dry biomass used in the process for fuel synthesis and the possibility to export bark is a more significant factor in this respect than which type of fuel is synthesised. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A variety of the Leucaena genus, Leucaena diversifolia, was used for pulp and paper making by kraft and refining processes and a OD(EP)DP bleaching sequence. The same species has been suggested as an energy crop and, in fact, this species used shows a high gross heating value; besides, this variety of Leucaena has appropriate characteristics for pulp and paper making. The holocellulose content was higher than Eucalyptus globulus, and ash and lignin contents were comparable to other varieties of Leucaena. Pulps with a kappa number between 17 and 18, and 21.4 cP viscosity were obtained using an active alkali concentration of 31%. Also, paper sheets showed good strength properties, comparable or even greater than those obtained with Eucalyptus or others varieties of Leucaena at comparable refining degrees, between 30 and 40 °SR. The pulp was successfully bleached in all cases with a kappa number below 1.5 in the EP stage and a value of brightness higher than 90%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A quick and direct method for identifying organic components of papers in library and archival collections with minimal destructive sampling is needed for preservation, forensic, and general purposes. Direct analysis in real time mass spectrometry (DART-MS) is used for characterizing 16 reference papers of known manufacture in terms of their pulp composition and pitch contaminants. Unique mass spectra are obtained from bleached kraft, chemithermomechanical, and stone groundwood pulp papers in real time without extractions, derivatizations, chromatographic separations, and other time- and chemical-consuming sample preparations. Phytosteroids are volatilized from bleached hardwood kraft but not from bleached softwood kraft papers, which differentiates the two of them. The kraft papers are in turn differentiated from chemithermomechanical pulp papers by lignin-derived thermolyis products: syringyl products arise from hardwood, but guaiacyl and coumaryl products arise from softwood, chemithermomechanical pulp papers. Stone groundwood papers contain a number of extractives that are volatilized, which serve to differentiate them from all the other papers. Papers that contain rosin vs. alkyl ketene dimer (AKD) sizings are immediately differentiated. The DART-MS methodology is fast and simple, and the spectra are repeatable. Microsamples as small as ∼10μg tweezed from the paper surface may be analyzed. These benchmark spectra are the prelude to further applications of DART-MS in paper research and the beginning of the development of a searchable library of DART-MS spectra of printing and writing papers by the Library of Congress. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this work, we characterized Hesperaloe funifera; pulp and paper obtained by subjecting the plant raw material to soda, soda–anthraquinone, ethanolamine, ethyleneglycol and diethyleneglycol cooking. In addition, the solid fractions extracted by acidifying the cooking liquors, rich in lignin, were used to obtain synthesis and fuel gases. The contents in lignin, α-cellulose, holocellulose, hemicellulose, ethanol–benzene extractives, hot water solubles, 1% NaOH solubles and ash of H. funifera were found to be 7.3%, 40.9%, 76.5%, 35.6%, 4.0%, 13.5%, 29.5% and 5.9%, respectively. The mean fibre length, 4.19 mm, exceeds those for some non-wood materials. Hesperaloe pulp obtained by cooking with 10% NaOH and 1% anthraquinone at 155 °C for 30 min exhibited good values of yield (48.3%), viscosity (737 mL g−1), Kappa number (15.2), tensile index (83.6 Nm g−1), stretch (3.8%), burst index (7.34 kN g−1) and tear index (3.20 mNm2 g−1). Acidification to pH 6 of the liquor resulting from the soda pulping of 500 g of plant raw material provided an amount of 13.90 g of lignin-rich solids pyrolysis of which gave a gas mixture containing 1.13% H2, 31.79% CO and 1.86% CH4 by weight. Gasification of the same sample provided a mixture containing 0.18% H2, 24.50% CO and 17.75% CH4, also by weight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is applied to Portuguese printing and writing paper in order to compare the environmental impact of the use of two kinds of fuels (heavy fuel oil and natural gas) in the pulp and paper production processes. The results of inventory analysis and impact assessment show that the pulp and paper production processes play an important role in almost all of the analysed parameters, which do not always result in an important contribution to the corresponding impact categories. The substitution of heavy fuel oil by natural gas in the pulp and paper production processes seems to be environmentally positive. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Many researchers have acknowledged the fact that there exists an immense potential for the application of the cellulose-binding domains (CBDs) in the field of biotechnology. This becomes apparent when the phrase “cellulose-binding domain” is used as the key word for a computerized patent search; more then 150 hits are retrieved. Cellulose is an ideal matrix for large-scale affinity purification procedures. This chemically inert matrix has excellent physical properties as well as low affinity for nonspecific protein binding. It is available in a diverse range of forms and sizes, is pharmaceutically safe, and relatively inexpensive. Present studies into the application of CBDs in industry have established that they can be applied in the modification of physical and chemical properties of composite materials and the development of modified materials with improved properties. In agro-biotechnology, CBDs can be used to modify polysaccharide materials both in vivo and in vitro. The CBDs exert nonhydrolytic fiber disruption on cellulose-containing materials. The potential applications of “CBD technology” range from modulating the architecture of individual cells to the modification of an entire organism. Expressing these genes under specific promoters and using appropriate trafficking signals, can be used to alter the nutritional value and texture of agricultural crops and their final products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A key challenge in prevention of global warming is how to increase energy efficiency, to be able to deal with increased fossil CO2 emissions from rising energy usage. Increasing energy efficiency will decrease energy usage and is in a key role in emission mitigation. The focus is the pulp and paper industry, which is energy-intensive. Development of industrial energy efficiency has been studied before but the role of industrial transformation is still mostly unknown. The knowledge must be improved, to be able to predict future developments in the most effective way. In this research, impact of various production unit closures and start-ups on energy efficiency of the Finnish pulp and paper industry were studied utilizing statistical analysis. Results indicate that about 20% of the Finnish pulp and paper industry energy efficiency improvement between 2011 and 2017 is caused by the major structural changes. The rest, 80% of the progress, was mainly due to improved technology and more optimal operational modes. Additional findings suggest that modern mill start-ups have a significantly greater potential to reduce energy consumption than old mill closures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]