Visualization of toner ink adsorption at bubble surfaces.

The article presents a study that investigates the effectiveness of optical visualizations of adsorption processes of contaminants at bubble surfaces, a process which is considered important to the paper recycling industry. Among the contaminants identified are inks, adhesives, and other additives which are removed from recycled fiber in froth flotation cells. The high magnification and high speed visualizations indicated that toner ink readily adsorbed to bubble surfaces in deionized water and in fatty-acid chemistries at ph 9.5. Image analysis was applied to estimate the percentage of bubble coverage and the mass of ink attached to a bubble where it can carry of more than 1 milligram of toner ink.