Chemical Characterization and Enzymatic Control of Stickies in Kraft Paper Production
Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias,
Guillermo González-Sánchez,
Salvador Eguiarte-Franco,
Tania Siqueiros-Cendón,
Sergio Flores-Gallardo,
Eduardo Duarte Villa,
Miguel de Dios Hernandez,
Beatriz Rocha-Gutiérrez,
Quintín Rascón-Cruz
Affiliations
Lourdes Ballinas-Casarrubias
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus Universitario No. 2, Chihuahua C.P. 31125, Mexico
Guillermo González-Sánchez
Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología, Miguel de Cervantes No. 120, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Mexico
Salvador Eguiarte-Franco
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus Universitario No. 2, Chihuahua C.P. 31125, Mexico
Tania Siqueiros-Cendón
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus Universitario No. 2, Chihuahua C.P. 31125, Mexico
Sergio Flores-Gallardo
Centro de Investigación en Materiales Avanzados, S.C. Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología, Miguel de Cervantes No. 120, Chihuahua C.P. 31109, Mexico
Eduardo Duarte Villa
Grupo COPAMEX, Ave. de la Juventud no. 280, San Nicolás de los Garza C.P. 66450, Mexico
Miguel de Dios Hernandez
Grupo COPAMEX, Ave. de la Juventud no. 280, San Nicolás de los Garza C.P. 66450, Mexico
Beatriz Rocha-Gutiérrez
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus Universitario No. 2, Chihuahua C.P. 31125, Mexico
Quintín Rascón-Cruz
Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Circuito Universitario s/n, Campus Universitario No. 2, Chihuahua C.P. 31125, Mexico
Paper recycling has increased in recent years. A principal consequence of this process is the problem of addressing some polymeric components known as stickies. A deep characterization of stickies sampled over one year in a recycled paper industry in México was performed. Based on their chemical structure, an enzymatic assay was performed using lipases. Compounds found in stickies by Fourier-transform infrared spectrometry were poly (butyl-acrylate), dioctyl phthalate, poly (vinyl-acetate), and poly (vinyl-acrylate). Pulp with 4% (w/w) consistency and pH = 6.2 was sampled directly from the mill once macrostickies were removed. Stickies were quantified by counting the tacky macrostructures in the liquid fraction of the pulp using a Neubauer chamber before the paper was made, and they were analyzed with rhodamine dye and a UV lamp. Of the two commercial enzymes evaluated, the best treatment condition used Lipase 30 G (Specialty Enzymes & Biotechnologies Co®, Chino, CA, USA) at a concentration of 0.44 g/L, which decreased 35.59% of stickies. SebOil DG (Specialty Enzymes & Biotechnologies®) showed a stickies reduction of 21.5% when used at a concentration of 0.33 g/L. Stickies in kraft paper processes were actively controlled by the action of lipases, and future research should focus on how this enzyme recognizes its substrate and should apply synthetic biology to improve lipase specificity.
