We conducted a comparative evaluation of different treatments for the bleaching of eucalypt kraft pulps beginning with OP stages. The treatments tested were (1) an acid chelation stage with DTPA (OQP sequence); (2) a hot acid stage (AOP sequence); and (3) a chelant addition into the alkaline oxygen stage ((OQ)P and A(OQ)P sequences). The latter strategy was also studied for environmental reasons, as it contributes to the closure of the filtrate cycle. The OQP sequence leads to the highest brightness gain and pulp viscosity and the lowest peroxide consumption caused by an efficient metals control. Considering that the low biodegradability of the chelant is a problem, the A(OQ)P sequence is an interesting option because it leads to reduced peroxide consumption (excluding OQP) while still reaching high brightness values and similar brightness reversion to OQP prebleaching, with only a viscosity loss of 160 dm3/kg. Therefore, a hot acid stage could be considered when a separate acid Q stage is absent in a prebleaching sequence of Eucalyptus globulus kraft pulps involving OP stages.
