CHARACTERISTICS OF PULP OBTAINED FROM MISCANTHUS x GIGANTEUS BIOMASS PRODUCED IN LEAD-CONTAMINATED SOIL

"The main goal of the study was to investigate processing of Miscanthus x giganteus biomass produced in soil contaminated with lead and other trace elements (TEs) into pulp using chemical pulping. The phytoremediation parameters of the plant were measured during two growing seasons, which confirmed that the process can be defined as phytostabilization; the contaminants were mainly concentrated in the roots and practically did not translocate to the stalks and leaves, which permitted the use of the aboveground biomass to process into pulp using the organosolvent cooking. The chemical composition, morphological structure, and microscopic characteristics of various crops’ stalks were investigated and compared with the same parameters received for wood and other non-wood plant materials: rape, flax, hemp, and wheat straw. Indicators of pulp were studied depending on the duration of the organosolvent cooking. After 90 minutes of the cooking process, the peroxide pulp from M. x giganteus had a breaking length of 8300 m, tear resistance of 310 mN, and burst resistance of 220 kPa, testifying the high values of the indicators. Further research should investigate the properties of pulp produced from M. x giganteus biomass grown in soils contaminated with various TEs, as well as the possible translocation of elements to pulp."