Effect of different HLB value and enzymatic treatment on the properties of old newspaper deinked pulp

Current deinking processes use potentially environmentally damaging chemicals in large quantities. The use of enzymes could be an attractive alternative to certain other chemicals used in deinking. In this research, the effects of different HLB (hydrophile-lipophile balance) values and enzymatic treatments on the deinking of old newspaper pulp (ONP) was studied, and optical properties and mechanical strengths of deinked pulps (DIP) were determined. Enzymatic treatments of old newspaper pulps were performed at two temperatures, 20°C and 50°C. Nonionic surfactants with different HLB values were used as the flotation agent. The flotation was conducted for pulps with and without enzymatic treatment. The results showed that brightness values for the floated pulp without enzyme treatment were slightly greater than for the enzymetreated deinked pulp. Also, dirt count for treated pulps with commercial cellulase and floated with ethoxylated fatty alcohol of HLB 12 at 50°C was lower than that of other pulps. The mechanical strengths of the enzymatically deinked pulps, in terms of burst, tensile, folding endurance, E-MOD, and elongation, were increased, but tear strength for the floated pulps with ethoxylated fatty alcohol of HLB 12 was increased at 50°C without enzymatic treatment. Also, the deinking efficiency of handsheets made from treated pulps with commercial cellulase and ethoxylated fatty alcohol of HLB 12 was highest. The treated pulps with enzyme only, with a combination of commercial cellulase and lipase at 50°C, showed the lowest freeness value in comparison with other pulps.