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This study explores the application of chemotaxonomic methods to trace the geographic origin of wood used in paper production. Utilizing thermal desorption gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS) and principal component analysis (PCA), distinct chemical profiles were identified in both hydrophobic and hydrophilic extracts. Residual wood extractives, that are capable of origin differentiation, were found in acetone extracts of the CITES-protected genus ramin (Gonystylus Teijsm. et Binn. spp.), petroleum ether extracts of red meranti (Rubroshorea (Meijer) P.S.Ashton et J.Heck. spp.) and n-hexane extracts of teak (Tectona grandis L.f.) pulp. The PCA results demonstrate the potential of these chemical fingerprints to serve as reliable indicators of wood provenance, which could potentially be crucial for the practical execution of the European Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) and the US Lacey Act in the paper industry. Despite the promising findings for ramin and teak, the effectiveness of the method to distinguish the origin of red meranti pulps was limited in some cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By reflecting on the history and environmental impact of conventional biorefining, such as kraft pulping, we aim to explore important questions about how natural polymers can be more sustainably sourced to develop bio-products and reduce reliance on plastics. Since the Industrial Revolution, chemical pulping processes have enabled the mass production of cellulosic products from woody biomass. Kraft pulping, which dominates within modern pulp and paper mills, has significantly contributed to environmental pollution and carbon emissions due to sulfurous byproducts and its high water and energy consumption. While chemical pulping technologies have advanced over time, with improvements aimed at enhancing sustainability and economic feasibility, conventional biorefineries still face challenges related to biomass conversion efficiency and environmental impact. For example, efforts to fully utilize wood resources, such as isolating lignin from black liquor, have made limited progress. This perspective provides a thoughtful examination of the growth of chemical pulping, particularly the kraft process, in the production of consumer goods and its environmental consequences. It also presents key insights into the bottlenecks in developing truly sustainable biomass conversion technologies and explores potential alternatives to traditional chemical pulping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a bast fiber plant known for its long fibers, making it an excellent source of pulp for paper production. In Ethiopia, flax is primarily cultivated for oil, with the residual straw utilized for papermaking. This study focuses on pulping flax straw using the Kraft process and investigates its chemical composition, proximate analysis, and morphological properties. The proximate analysis revealed an ash content of 4.13% and moisture content of 11%. Chemical composition analysis showed cellulose at 51.34%, hemicellulose at 25.20%, lignin at 14.12%, ash at 4.13%, and extractives at 5.21%. The morphological properties included a fiber length of 1.41 mm, diameter of 16.78 μm, lumen width of 9.45 μm, and cell wall thickness of 3.77 μm. Flax straw exhibited an acceptable Runkel ratio (0.8) and flexibility coefficient (56.32), placing it within the range of non-wood fibers. SEM analysis of the pulp’s morphology was conducted to assess fiber structure, including the presence of cracks. Pulp quality and length are directly linked to paper strength. Various pulping conditions were studied using a full-factorial design, with optimum conditions being 10% alkaline, 131.74°C, and 120 min of cooking time, yielding a pulp with a Kappa number of 10.45 and a yield of 40.56%. The resulting paper demonstrated standard tensile, tearing, and burst strengths, indicating that flax straw is a promising raw material for paper production.

The review focuses on application of chemometric modeling in raw material characterization and quantification of parameter in various steps of pulp and papermaking processes. These models are built by supervised or unsupervised machine-learning techniques. Chemometric models are predominantly developed with data from spectroscopic instruments like, Ultraviolet spectrophotometer (UV), Near Infrared spectrophotometer (NIR), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer (FTIR), Raman Spectrometer etc. These spectroscopic data are large in size which are reduced by applying different dimension reduction techniques. Moreover, these data contain instrumental noise in most of the cases, and they are de-noised or smoothed by several preprocessing techniques for developing better performing models. Among the popular calibration techniques for classification, Soft Independent Modeling for Classification Algorithm (SIMCA), Discrimination Analysis (DA) are mentionable. Multiple Linear Regression (MLR), Principal Component Regression (PCR), Partial Least Square Regression (PLSR), Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM) etc., are used for quantification of different physical, morphological and chemical properties of wood, pulp and paper properties. Based on chemometric models, sensors for online measurements of different parameters in pulping and papermaking processes are being developed in recent years. Through this review, better performing multivariate analysis based chemometric modeling techniques have been identified for determining different parameters by comparing the existing ones which could be used in different processes in pulp and papermaking industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental performance of tissue paper varies greatly based on factors such as the type of fibre used as the raw material, the production process and the fuels used to meet the energy requirements. One possible strategy to decrease greenhouse gas emissions in tissue production is the integration of pulp and paper mills and their energy systems at the same site. However, the environmental trade-offs associated with this strategy are still unclear. Therefore, this study aimed (i) to assess for the first time the environmental impacts of tissue paper produced at a typical industrial site in Portugal using slush and market pulp as the main raw material, and (ii) to assess the environmental effects of the integration of bioenergy produced in the pulp mill in tissue production. A life cycle assessment was conducted from cradle to gate using real data from the production of eucalyptus wood, eucalyptus pulp and tissue paper. The results showed that energy consumption in tissue paper production is the main hotspot for most impact categories. When bioenergy is used in tissue production, the environmental impacts decrease by up to 20% for categories other than marine eutrophication and mineral resource scarcity. These results are relevant to support decision making concerning sustainable practices not only for the pulp and paper industry but also for the authorities in charge of defining environmental policies, incentives and tax regulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flax (Linum usitatissimum) is a bast fiber plant known for its long fibers, making it an excellent source of pulp for paper production. In Ethiopia, flax is primarily cultivated for oil, with the residual straw utilized for papermaking. This study focuses on pulping flax straw using the Kraft process and investigates its chemical composition, proximate analysis, and morphological properties. The proximate analysis revealed an ash content of 4.13% and moisture content of 11%. Chemical composition analysis showed cellulose at 51.34%, hemicellulose at 25.20%, lignin at 14.12%, ash at 4.13%, and extractives at 5.21%. The morphological properties included a fiber length of 1.41 mm, diameter of 16.78 μm, lumen width of 9.45 μm, and cell wall thickness of 3.77 μm. Flax straw exhibited an acceptable Runkel ratio (0.8) and flexibility coefficient (56.32), placing it within the range of non-wood fibers. SEM analysis of the pulp's morphology was conducted to assess fiber structure, including the presence of cracks. Pulp quality and length are directly linked to paper strength. Various pulping conditions were studied using a full-factorial design, with optimum conditions being 10% alkaline, 131.74°C, and 120 min of cooking time, yielding a pulp with a Kappa number of 10.45 and a yield of 40.56%. The resulting paper demonstrated standard tensile, tearing, and burst strengths, indicating that flax straw is a promising raw material for paper production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study examined the effect of locality, axial height, and presence of node on the fiber morphology and derived ratios of iron bamboo (Guadua angustifolia Kunt.) and solid bamboo [Dendrocalamus strictus (Roxb.) Nees] grown in Laguna, Baguio City, and Nueva Vizcaya. It focused on characteristics such as fiber length, fiber diameter, lumen diameter, and cell wall thickness, along with derived ratios like the runkel ratio (RR), flexibility ratio (FR), slenderness ratio (SR), mulhsteph ratio (MR), and rigidity coefficient (RC). The results showed that species, location, axial height, and node presence significantly influenced fiber morphology and derived ratios. Specifically, solid bamboo had 22% longer fibers, whereas iron bamboo exhibited 17% thicker fiber diameters and 25% thicker cell walls. In terms of location, iron bamboo from Laguna had significantly thicker fiber (23.82 µm) and lumen diameter (8.86 µm) compared to samples from Baguio (21.77 and 5.12 µm, respectively) yet with thinner cell walls (7.48 µm). Conversely, solid bamboo from Nueva Vizcaya showed thicker fiber dimensions than those from Laguna. Along the axial heights, fiber characteristics displayed significant variations, with distinct trends observed across properties. Samples without nodes demonstrated significantly longer fiber lengths, whereas other traits were lower. Derived ratios varied considerably within species across localities. However, both species scored 25 (class III) for the RR, FR, MR, and RC, indicating their suitability for pulp and paper production with the need for additional chemical processing. However, their SR values exceeded the threshold of > 35. The FR values and fiber length suggest these bamboo varieties' potential for use in composite materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While cationic cellulose has yet to find a place in the paper industry, manufacturers show certain interest in a more recent material: cellulose nanofibers (CNFs), generally with negative surface charge. This work suggests both to be combined to increase the mechanical properties of recycled paper while preventing the use of synthetic polyelectrolytes as retention agents. On one hand, a bleached pulp was cationized by etherification, both as-is and following mechanical refining (15,000 PFI revolutions) and submitted to high-pressure homogenization, generating two different kinds of cationic CNFs. On the other, the same pulp was submitted to an enzymatic pretreatment and high-pressure homogenization, producing a negatively charged cellulose micro/nanofiber (CMNF). Two different cellulose-based systems consisting of each type of cationic CNF and the enzymatic CMNF were applied in the papermaking of both virgin and recycled paper. This study demonstrates the effective use of the cationic CNFs as retention agents during sheet formation, which together with the enzymatic CMNFs significantly enhanced the mechanical properties of both types of paper. The study found that refining before cationization favored the retention effect, primarily due to increased surface area and charge of the cationic CNFs, where remarkable increases in the breaking length of virgin (125.1%) and recycled paper (46.5%) were reached. The synergy between cationic CNFs and enzymatic CMNFs outperformed the use of commercial polyacrylamide, a non-biodegradable polyelectrolyte. This research highlights the potential of tailored CNFs in producing high-performance papers, while promoting sustainability and offering a plausible strategy to increase paper recycling rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comparative analysis of the blind test outcomes of two independent methods for the identification of tropical wood species in pulp and paper products. Both, the established anatomical and the relatively new chemotaxonomic method support the European Deforestation Regulation 2023/1115 (EUDR), which aims to ensure that only legally harvested timber that has not contributed to deforestation is traded in the EU. The blind test involved 570 decisions on 15 test sheets of 37 self-manufactured mixed tropical hardwood pulps and an industrial beech pulp, used as a matrix. Both detection techniques demonstrated robust performance with over 80 % hit rates. The results show that the synergies and combination of the strengths of both methods can be utilized and lead to even better combined performance. In order to establish the chemotaxonomic identification method as a complement to the conventional anatomy-based method, statistical analyses were performed to assess its intermediate precision between three different GC-MS systems. In most cases, the method gave consistent results independent of the instrument used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The South African extended producer’s responsibility has made cradle-to-grave life cycle assessments a mandatory requirement for the paper and paper packaging industry. This is an intensive undertaking that requires a lot of data and time if primary data sets were to be created. The aim was to evaluate the applicability of using secondary and modified data sets in the life cycle assessment to speed up the process and reduce the amount of primary data required, with white-lined chipboard as the case study. Four white-lined chipboard data sets were used, a South African data set created from local industry data, a European data set from the Ecoinvent database and two modified European data sets, Scenario 1 and Scenario 2, to better represent the South African landscape. On an inventory level, the results indicated that the goal, scope and objective of the local and European life cycle assessments were similar, with minor differences. On an impact assessment level, the South African data had a much higher impact compared to the European data. This was mainly due to their reliance on fossil fuels for energy and electricity. On an uncertainty level, the uncertainty of the South African data was much higher, but this was due to the uncertainty related to the adjusted pedigree matrix and the cumulative nature of uncertainty in the life cycle inventory tiers. The results indicated that modified data sets with a base data set that has a similar goal and scope to the original South African study, and in which the data entries, data values and uncertainties are adjusted to match the South African process more closely would suffice. Significance: • International life cycle inventory data can be used to conduct local life cycle assessments provided that some minor modifications are made. • In the South African context, the use of coal in the electric grid and boilers has the largest influence on the life cycle assessment outcomes. • On a life cycle impact assessment (LCIA) level, uncertainty is cumulative, resulting in high uncertainty scores even if the variability of primary data (life cycle inventory level) is low.

With over 20 years in pulp and paper, my career has been shaped by foundational research and teaching as well as by BioResources, a journal that has significantly supported my work. This editorial reflects on key stages in my academic journey and the pivotal role BioResources has played in advancing my research and connecting the global pulp and paper community.

The Brazilian forestry sector is based on the use of Eucalyptus and Pine wood, with emphasis on the latter in the state of Santa Catarina. Aiming to diversify the forestry base for industrial uses, and provide information on species that could be alternatives, studies aimed at characterizing wood are essential. In this sense, the species Podocarpus lambertii can be highlighted, which is a conifer native to the south of the country, and which has potential for use. Therefore, the present study aimed to evaluate the quality of P. lambertii wood with a view to producing long fiber cellulosic pulp. For this, five 26-year-old trees were collected, originating from an experimental planting located in Campo Belo do Sul/SC. Discs were removed from these to determine the basic and green densities, chemical composition and morphological analysis of the tracheids in the pith-bark direction. The basic (0.397 g/cm³) and green (0.907 g/cm³) densities obtained made it possible to classify the wood as light or low density. Regarding the chemical composition, ash (0.69%) and extractives (4.40%) contents were observed within the expected for coniferous wood, however the lignin content was high (36.99%), and low holocellulose content (58.61%). The dimensions of the tracheids, length (1.92 mm), width (35.06 μm), lumen diameter (25.55 μm) and cell wall thickness (4.75 μm), allowed them to be classified as moderately long and thick. The anatomical quality indicators, wall fraction (28.08%), flexibility coefficient (71.88%), Runkel index (0.41) and felting index (53.71), were considered very good for the pulp and paper production, based on classifications reported in the literature. In general, the results obtained were satisfactory, indicating that the species deserves attention and more in-depth studies, and could be an alternative or complement to the long fiber segment, which is currently supplied exclusively by the Pinus genus in Brazil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Lignin extracted from black liquor in chemical pulp mills can potentially replace fossil carbon feedstocks in fuels and materials, thereby increasing the economic and environmental added values of woody biomass. However, since lignin extraction reduces the electricity generation of the mill, the added value depends on the characteristics of the electricity market in which the mill operates. In this study, a model mill is exposed to two different electricity price profiles: the low and steady prices of south-central Sweden in Year 2019; and the high and volatile prices of the same region in Year 2022. For the model mill, investments in lignin extraction designed to increase pulp production are economically viable and have low levels of sensitivity to electricity price levels and price volatility. The viability of lignin extraction without increased pulp production depends on the relationship between the electricity and lignin prices. With stable electricity prices, or steady mill operation, a rule-of-thumb holds that for lignin extraction to be viable, the lignin price (€/t) must be 1.8-times the average electricity price (€/MWh) plus 40 €/t for the supply of chemicals. With volatile electricity prices and flexible operation of the recovery boiler, the mill can shift the loss in electricity sales to low-price hours, thereby saving 15–70 % of the operational costs of lignin extraction, as compared to steady operation. This effect can be further enhanced by increasing the capacity of the lignin extraction process or extending the size of the black liquor storage tank. The proposed flexibility measures allow the market-integrated pulp mill to export lignin to replace fossil carbon supplies in other sectors, while supporting the electricity system during hours with high demand and low supply.

Transforming Pulp and Paper (P&P) mills into Integrated Forest Biorefineries (IFBR) is a prominent solution to save Canadian P&P industry that has been facing decline of conventional paper demand. We propose a comprehensive decision model for the design of IFBR value chains by taking the uncertain demand of bioproducts into consideration. In particular, we propose a multi-stage stochastic programming model to obtain the optimal investment plan over a long-term planning horizon in the presence of various market trends. We also develop a Monte-Carlo simulation platform to validate the proposed model and to compare its performance with alternative decision models. The model is applied to a realistic case study inspired from P&P companies in Canada, where the value of incorporating the dynamic nature of uncertain demand has been estimated. Further, we elaborate on the value of considering flexibility in terms of adjusting the investment plan in response to changes in the demand. Our results indicate that the demand for bioproducts has a substantial impact on the profitability of the IFBR. We also demonstrated the significant value of explicitly incorporating the uncertainty in IFBR network design as well as adapting the investment plan to the changes in the demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pulp and paper sector has become one of the most significant industrial sectors in the world due to its economic benefits. After primary metals and chemicals sectors, the pulp and paper industry produces the third-largest quantity of wastewater. With regard to environmental feedbacks, ongoing legal requirements, and energy efficiency measures, pulp and paper mills have recently encountered difficulties managing the ensuing pollutants. This study identify pulp and paper mill wastewaters properties, quantities and discuss the recent developments of affordable methods dealing with pulp and paper mill wastewaters. According to the results of the current study, employing integrated methods which is a mixture of treatment techniques may be more advantageous from an economic and environmental standpoint in order to reduce environmental contaminants and energy recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nowadays, a high percentage (> 50%) of the paper produced in Europe uses recovered paper (secondary fibers) as raw material. In order to improve the mechanical properties of the paper produced, different kinds of additives are usually incorporated into the paper. Emerging renewable materials based on agricultural or forest residues, such as cellulose nanomaterials, have recently proved good capacities as reinforcing agents for different applications. In this work, pulp from wheat straw with a content of cellulose nanomaterial has been produced and tested as a mechanical reinforcing agent for paper production. A soda semi-chemical process was applied for the delignification of straw, to produce pulp with high cellulose content. Posteriorly, pulps with cellulose nanofibers were obtained in a high-pressure homogenizer, applying three different pretreatments to the cellulose pulp (acid hydrolysis, enzymatic hydrolysis and thermal treatment with glycerol) in order to facilitate the obtention of cellulose nanomaterial. Handsheets of paper were prepared from two sources of secondary fiber (fluting paper and old corrugated containers), adding different percentages of wheat straw derivatives (0, 3.5, 5 and 7%). The fibers' morphology and the papers' mechanical properties were investigated. Noticeable improvement rates (up to 25%) were observed for some mechanical properties of paper containing nanocellulose produced after the enzymatic and acid pretreatments. The quality of the secondary fibers source also affected the improvement rates achieved, with higher percentage changes for the lower-quality recycled paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, I established an energy benchmark for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. I, therefore, focus on three major paper product families, including packaging paper, printing and writing paper, and tissue paper. In this research, I use specific energy consumption (SEC) as the energy performance indicator (EnPI) for computing energy benchmarks for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. The factories in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam are divided into three production scales, and the energy benchmarks are specified by production scales. Energy surveys and energy audits have been used to calculate energy benchmarks. Here, I establish the energy benchmark for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam according to the three production scales. I also estimate the energy saving potential for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam based on surveying and auditing results.

In this research, the decomposition of toxic organics from pulp and paper mill effluent by the sequential application of ozonation and biodegradation was studied. Ozonation, as a pre-treatment, was executed to transform the initial pollutants into less toxic compounds (such as organic acids of low molecular weights). Biodegradation was executed during three days with acclimated microorganisms that were able to complete the decomposition of the initial organic mixture (raw wastewater) and to achieve a higher degree of mineralization (85–90%). Experiments were performed under three different conditions: (a) only ozonation of the initial contaminants, (b) only biodegradation of residual water without previous treatment by ozone and (c) ozonation followed by biodegradation performed by acclimated microorganisms. In the case of 72 h of biodegradation, the mineralization efficiency reached 85% and 89% after 30 and 60 min of ozonation, respectively. The no significant difference in this parameter coincided with the calculated generalized microorganisms' consortia specific growing rate μ m a x that was reduced from 2.08 × 10−3 h−1 to 6.05 × 10−4 h−1 when the ozonation time was longer. The identification of the organics composition by gas chromatography with mass detector (GC-MS) before and after treatments confirmed that the proposed combined process served as a more efficient alternative to secondary and tertiary treatments (mineralization degree between 60 and 80% in average) of the paper industry wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the design, configuration, and optimization of a membrane bioreactor (MBR) system for the amelioration of industrial effluent. The study focuses on mitigating membrane fouling and reusing the treated wastewater. The MBR system is designed and configured with different operating parameters, including nano-bubble technology and hydraulic retention time (HRT), to optimize the removal efficiency of pollutants. The effect of HRT on the percentage elimination of pollutants in the wastewater treated by MBR systems is investigated, and the dynamic relationship between the mixed liquor suspended solids (MLSS) and HRT is studied to optimize the biological treatment process. The relationship between permeate flux and temperature is also investigated to optimize the operational conditions of MBR systems. Trans-membrane pressure monitoring and cleaning techniques are employed to mitigate membrane fouling in MBR systems. It is assessed if it is feasible to reuse the treated wastewater for commercial purposes. According to the data, the MBR system with nano-bubble technology and a 12-h HRT had the best pollution removal effectiveness (97.5%). It was discovered that the dynamic link between MLSS and HRT was crucial for optimising the biological treatment procedure, and that 25°C was the ideal temperature for MBR operation. The treated wastewater was found to be suitable for reuse in industrial applications, and the trans-membrane pressure monitoring and cleaning approaches were successful in reducing membrane fouling. With the potential to improve both the environment and the economy, the study's findings offer important insights into the design of long-term, sustainable MBR systems for the treatment of industrial wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solar photocatalytic degradation of pulp and paper mill wastewater has been reported by several scientists. However, this is the first time we are reporting for solar photocatalytic hydrogen production from pulp and paper mill wastewater and simultaneous degradation of pollutants. In this work, CuO based photocatalysts and novel square type photocatalytic reactor of 5 L capacity were used. The result shows that the prepared photocatalysts are solar active, efficient in hydrogen recovery and pollutant degradation from the pulp and paper wastewater. The effects of catalyst loading, sacrificial agent, pollutant removal efficiency and stability check were investigated. At 0.25 g/L of CuO/Fe 2 O 3 , 0.2 M of sacrificial agent (Na 2 SO 3 2−) and hydrogen yield of 1000 mL from 1000 mL of wastewater was achieved. The removal efficiency of TSS, TDS, BOD, COD, turbidity and TOC are around 70, 50, 60, 65, 70 and 45% respectively. Reusability study revealed that CuO/Fe 2 O 3 was chemically stable and could be reused successively (five cycles) without significant changes in its photoactivity and intrinsic properties. [Display omitted] • Visible light active CuO mixed with novel metal oxides were employed. • Hydrogen recovery from black liquor, paper mill wastewater were 1000 mL/h/L and 850 mL/h/L. • Efficiency of degradation of pulp & paper wastewater chemicals were around 50–70%. • AcHieved high recovery of hydrogen from pulp & paper wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Less than 65% of wastepaper can be recycled, and the remaining wastepaper may end up polluting groundwater and generating greenhouse gas emissions if disposed improperly by using traditional approaches. The concept of circular supply chain practices, which integrates circular thinking into supply chain practices that aim to reach zero waste by exploring novel business models and supply chain functions, has been proposed to address this issue. However, previous studies implementing this concept lacked appropriate methods for structuring an influential model to guide resource allocation, which caused difficulty in developing circular supply chain practices. Thus, a hybrid method is proposed to integrate factor analysis with fuzzy synthetic and decision-making and trial evaluation laboratory methods to enable visual analysis and boost understanding. The results reveal that awareness and engagement are the most influential factors in attempts to achieve zero waste, rather than the recycling, reuse and reduction practices emphasised by previous studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The European Deforestation Regulation 2023/1115 (EUDR) prohibits trading of wood and wood products obtained from illegal logging on the EU market. While the identification of solid wood via anatomy, chemistry and genetics has already been established, there is a lack of identification methods for pulp and paper that complement anatomy. This publication presents a newly developed chemotaxonomic method for identifying mixed tropical hardwood (MTH) species in pulp and paper products based on their extractives analyzed with thermal desorption-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (TD-GC-MS). The measured data was processed and compared to identify marker substances and was then merged into a fingerprint database for identifying MTH species in paper of unknown composition. As database references, fully bleached kraft pulps were produced from 38 anatomically identified wood samples and then cryo-ball milled and extracted successively with n-hexane and acetone. The results show that the remaining wood extractives generated from bleached pulps are specific enough to find chemical relevant marker substances to detect MTH species. As chemical composition and anatomy are independent characteristics of wood, this paper makes a completely independent method available, which potentially improves the screening for Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) protected species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paper is one of the most significant inventions in human civilization, which considerably advanced global cultural development. Pulping is a key step in the conversion of fiber raw materials into paper. Since its inception, pulping has rapidly evolved, continually adapting to technological advancements. Researchers are constantly investigating various types of raw materials for pulping. In this review, some of the materials employed in pulping are outlined, and the fiber content, pulping method, as well as the strength of wood and non-wood crop straw as pulping raw materials are analyzed and discussed. In addition, this review explores the effects of different materials under various pulping conditions and assesses the future trends in raw material selection for pulping while considering the current global environmental pressures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this research, I established an energy benchmark for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. I, therefore, focus on three major paper product families, including packaging paper, printing and writing paper, and tissue paper. In this research, I use specific energy consumption (SEC) as the energy performance indicator (EnPI) for computing energy benchmarks for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam. The factories in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam are divided into three production scales, and the energy benchmarks are specified by production scales. Energy surveys and energy audits have been used to calculate energy benchmarks. Here, I establish the energy benchmark for the main sub-sectors in the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam according to the three production scales. I also estimate the energy saving potential for the pulp and paper industry of Vietnam based on surveying and auditing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Transactions of China Pulp & Paper is the property of China Pulp & Paper Magazines Publisher and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In recent years, much attention has been focused on carbon accounting for harvested wood products in national greenhouse gas inventories. The methods used for national accounting, however, are not suited to corporate or value chain accounting. This is largely due to the practical difficulties that companies face in assembling the historical production data and other information required by national accounting methods. In addition, national accounting methods produce results that are heavily influenced by historical data and past practices. As a result, these methods provide little insight into opportunities for improvement. In this paper, options are considered for corporate and value chain accounting of carbon in forest products in use. One method is identified that avoids many of the difficulties associated with national accounting methods. The method estimates the amount of carbon in products expected to remain in use for at least 100 years and, therefore, the method is called the 100-year method. A review of forest product time-in-use distributions being used in several countries to develop national carbon inventories reveals that many of them were not designed to produce realistic estimates of the amount of product remaining in use for 100 years. U.S. housing data are used to demonstrate, however, that the time-in-use information used to develop the U.S. national inventory can be used in the 100-year method without over estimating 100-year carbon sequestration in U.S. housing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To elucidate whether occupational exposure to soft paper dust increases the incidence of cancer. Methods: We studied 7988 workers in Swedish soft paper mills from 1960 to 2008, of whom 3233 (2 187 men and 1046 women) had more than 10 years of employment. They were divided into high exposure (>5 mg/m3 for >1 year) or lower exposure to soft paper dust based on a validated job‐exposure matrix. They were followed from 1960 to 2019, and person‐years at risk were stratified according to gender, age, and calendar‐year. The expected numbers of incident tumors were calculated using the Swedish population as the reference, and standardized incidence ratios (SIR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were assessed. Results: Among high‐exposure workers with more than 10 years of employment, there was an increased incidence of colon cancer (SIR 1.66, 95% CI 1.20−2.31), small intestine cancer (SIR 3.27, 95% CI 1.36−7.86), and thyroid gland cancer (SIR 2.68, 95% CI 1.11−6.43), as well as lung cancer (SIR 1.56, 95% CI 1.12−2.19). Among the lower‐exposed workers there was an increased incidence of connective tissue tumors (sarcomas) (SIR 2.26, 95% CI 1.13−4.51) and pleural mesothelioma (SIR 3.29, 95% CI 1.37−7.91). Conclusion: Workers in soft paper mills with high exposure to soft paper dust have an increased incidence of large and small intestine tumors. Whether the increased risk is caused by paper dust exposure or some unknown associated factors is unclear. The increased incidence of pleural mesothelioma is probably linked to asbestos exposure. The reason for increased incidence of sarcomas is unknown. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work investigates bioethanol production from wastepaper via acid and enzymatic hydrolysis with the aim to attain the highest possible yield, including an evaluation of energy consumption of the production processes and costs involved. A mathematical model was designed using MATLAB software, in which pre-calculated chronological stages have been specified with the parameters that significantly affect the bioethanol yield, including type and number of consumables, reaction temperature and residence time. The independent variables have been decided based on recommended values found in the literature and are provided as suggestions to the user, who is also given the choice to manually input the values. Mass and energy balance are carried out for each process stage of bioethanol production in order to calculate the energy consumption of the chemical reactions. The model also calculates the bioethanol yield per 100 g of lignocellulosic biomass and the related costs. A comparison between enzymatic and acid hydrolysis bioethanol is presented by a line chart on the software interface, helping the understanding of the effects of the independent variable parameters. As a result, the most optimal conditions to produce the highest yield of bioethanol and therefore increasing the efficiency of a process is obtained. The model is expected to aid in the reduction of laboratory-based experiments being conducted, saving time, human errors, costly microorganisms and other consumables.

The pulp and paper industry has an important role in the industrial transition towards net zero or negative emissions, given its renewable biomass-based feedstock and energy supply. In particular, pulp and paper mills have large existing sources of biogenic CO2, with a high potential to contribute to carbon dioxide removal through carbon capture and storage (CCS). To effectively navigate anticipated changes in feedstock and energy markets, there is a need for a better understanding of how different technology pathways for the pulp and paper industry interact with one another, for instance, how enhanced valorization of biomass side streams may affect the potential for carbon capture. This paper aims to investigate the effect of combining carbon capture with lignin extraction in a chemical pulp mill. Pinch analysis is used to study how the targets for heat recovery, fuel usage and electricity generation, are affected by different mill and capture configurations. Based on these results, the effect on carbon flows is evaluated. The results show that when carbon capture technology is implemented and fuel use is minimized at the case-study mill, there is still enough heat available from the recovery boilers to supply the process needs without requiring usage of a utility boiler. However, when carbon capture is combined with lignin extraction, the heat production of the recovery boilers is no longer sufficient to cover the process demands, and additional heat from a utility boiler is required. However, this case implies that some of the carbon leaves the mill embedded in the extracted lignin product, which can be expected to have a higher value than captured carbon dioxide. When back-pressure electricity production was maximized for the different mill configurations, a very high fuel-to-electricity efficiency could be achieved, but since the CO2 emissions from the utility boiler were not assumed to be captured, this would lead to more carbon being emitted compared to the capture scenarios with minimized fuel use.

Despite black liquor's (BL) renown as a difficult-to-manage contaminant in the pulp and paper industry, BL has been found as a viable alternative material for adhesive formulation due to its high lignin content. Nevertheless, modification is required to enhance lignin's reactivity, and there is currently a lack of study focusing on this aspect for BL-lignin. This study aims to increase the phenolic hydroxyl content of BL-lignin by phenolation. After being phenolated at lignin to phenol ratio of 1:1, at a temperature of 100°C for 110 minutes, and with the addition of 8% sulfuric acid (H2SO4) as a catalyst, the phenolic hydroxyl content improved by 51.5%. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), UV/Vis spectrophotometry, proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR), thermogravimetrydifferential scanning calorimetry (TG-DSC), and its differential curve showed that the structural change in phenolated lignin opened up more active sites, implying that this lignin could be a good substitute for phenol in phenol-formaldehyde resin manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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There are many pulp and paper industries all around the globe and in Ethiopia as well different companies are involved in the production and distribution of paper and paper products. Most of the industries especially those in developing countries like Ethiopia produce paper from pulp obtained from wood cellulose. Ethiopia is not producing its pulp and mostly the paper industries depend on imported pulp or recycled paper. There are critical limitations in synthesizing pulp and paper from wood-based cellulose resources mainly the scarcity of wood in some countries and the impact on altering the ecological balance and through frequent deforestation and replantation practice. The present review assesses the potential sources from non-wood resources which can be used as a substitute cellulose raw material for the pulp and paper industry. The study encompasses possible beneficiation routes for manufacturing pulp from non-wood cellulose resources available in Ethiopia for diversified application in the paper industry. With this regard, potential non-wood raw materials for pulping are assed in line with the fulfilment of the target for import substitution strategy, the realization of a safe working environment, and socio-economic betterment of the nation with specific reference to the paper industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plentiful waste is generated by pulp and paper industries during different stages of paper production. Current practices being used harm the environment to a large extent and thus, require a sustainable approach to deal with the waste. Thus, present study investigated the effect of xylose production without NaOH and with pre-treated (2% NaOH) waste paper pulp under the effect of temperature; pH and incubation time with the help of xylanase isolated from Bacillus pumilus. A comparative analysis was drawn with three treatments namely enzymatic, xylanase immobilization onto chitosan and microbial treatment. Chitosan being inert, cheap and biocompatible was chosen as carrier and resulted in 94.87% immobilization yield. Optimum parameter for xylose production was found to be temperature 50 °C and pH 6.0. For incubation time, highest xylose production was seen after 12 hrs (enzymatic and chitosan and immobilized) and on 3rd day (microbial). Therefore, treatment of waste paper pulp with xylanase showed significant results for xylose production which later can be used in the production of various value added products such as xylitol.

The efficiency of classical Fenton (CF) and modified Fenton (MF) as well as photo‐Fenton processes in real wastewater treatment of pulp and paper (P&P) mill was investigated in this study. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) was chosen as the reference measurement for evaluating the treatment's efficiency. After determining the optimum parameters for each process, the effect of adding ultrasound (US) on improving treatment efficiency was examined. In addition, kinetic study and phytotoxicity analysis were conducted under optimum conditions for all processes. With pH 4, reaction time 50 min, 1.2 g/L Fe2+ and 8 g/L H2O2 dosages, the best removal efficiency (RE) of COD was determined to be 82.18% in CF process, and this rate rose to 90.1% when US was added. The best RE in MF process was 84.16% with the application of UV‐C, pH 4, reaction time 50 min, 1 g/L Fe0 and 8 g/L H2O2 doses, although it increased to 93.4% when US was applied. The greatest results in the seed germination test were achieved in US processes with 100% of germination percentage (GP) for spinach and tomato and 90% for cress. In the economic evaluation, when conducting the treatment without US, the estimated relative cost decreased in a 15 and 16%, for CF/UV‐C and CF processes respectively, whereas the CF process was 64% cheaper than the MF process in all applications. The US contributed to enhanced water treatment efficiency by having a significant synergistic impact on Fenton applications. Hence, the combination of photo‐Fenton and ultrasound to treat effluent from P&P mills proved to be an effective and promising technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Industrial pulp and paper plantations have expanded substantially in Indonesia over the past three decades. This paper analyses how plantations were established and changed over time, focusing on the ways owners have asserted control over massive forestland areas. The study centres on two major companies which control 95% of plantations in Riau, a province with the largest industrial tree plantations in Indonesia. The current analytical framework combines national and subnational interests alongside theories of bureaucratic politics. We found that large-scale forestland controlled by a few private players was made possible through meeting national development targets and carried out by the national forest bureaucracy. Under this constellation, a few conglomerates closely tied to central power holders secured mandates to pursue forestry goals. Our findings explain emergent subnational patterns among local bureaucracies, whose growing interests coincide with large-scale plantations agglomerating land to supply shortfalls in mega-processing plants. The mechanisms of formal and informal interests at play among bureaucracies at both national and sub-national levels enrich our current understanding about forestland acquisitions, which is often simplistically interpreted as a centralised state obsessed with economic opportunities presented by a global commodity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biologicalisation of manufacturing (BoM) is becoming a major driver for innovation, rendering conventional production processes more sustainable and efficient. So far, most biological transformation approaches focus on improving single technologies or materials in the production chain irrespective of the adjacent processes. However, the potential for BoM might even be greater if a broader approach is taken. Similar to how biological systems achieve efficiency by utilizing self-sufficient, highly interconnected processes, linking multiple individual BoM-technologies in a factory environment could lead to previously unattained improvements. This paper examines the potential of such a holistic transformation using the example of a manufacturing process from the pulp and paper industry. A production process for bleached pulp based on the chemical kraft process was chosen and screened for its inherent environmental challenges. Existing bio-based optimization approaches were then collected and assigned to the production steps followed by an evaluation of possible synergies and interactions concerning their simultaneous implementation on a factory scale. The survey revealed similarities and interlocking functions for a wide variety of BoM-technologies that might help to overcome some of the current hurdles faced in their individual implementation. Based on the findings a vision is presented about i) how a factory scale BoM holds the potential to improve sustainability of kraft pulp production in the short term and ii) how it could play a role in enabling more flexible and circular processes in the long term. The presented ideas should thereby serve as an impulse for a general investigation of wider biologicalisation approaches and provide a starting point for the creation of systematic methodical procedures to investigate and evaluate biological transformation processes on a factory scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the levels of fatty acids and selected sterols in effluents and nearby water bodies at Mufindi Paper Mill (MPM), southern Tanzania. Solid Phase Extraction (SPE) was used for sample extraction, and analysis was performed using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS). Fatty acids ranging from C11:0 to C25:0 were detected, with saturated fatty acids (SFA) being more abundant than unsaturated fatty acids (USFA). As for selected sterols, ß-sitosterol and stigmastanol were more abundant than campesterol. The mean levels of SFA, USFA, ß-sitosterol, stigmastanol, and campesterol (µg/L) were 538.28, 125.94, 1065.44, 1178.01, and 66.76, respectively, for untreated effluents, and 338.10, 139.03, 933.40, 153.92 and 57.82, respectively, for treated effluents. It was further established that the mean levels of SFA, USFA, ß-sitosterol, stigmastanol, and campesterol (µg/L) were 321.29, 57.35, 58.37, 50.76, and 49.08, respectively, for effluents at the discharge point and 20.58, 17.72, 8.25, 10.55, and 6.05, respectively, at receiving water. Water bodies are therefore contaminated with lipophilic wood extractives since the mean concentration levels of USFA and sterols were above the lowest concentrations suspected to adversely affect fish (toxic limits (µg/L): USFA (2-8) and sterols (10)). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]