scholarly journals Degradation and polymerization of black liquor lignin using Bacillus sp. isolated from a pulp mill

BioResources ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 1049-1076 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nipatcharaporn Sapapporn ◽  
Sirilux Chaijamrus ◽  
Wassana Chatdumrong ◽  
Tochampa

A strain of Bacillus bacteria, which was able to increase the molecular weight (M) of black liquor (BL) lignin through polymerization, enabling the subsequent industrial use of lignin, was isolated and characterized. This study is believed to be the first time that actual bacteria cells, rather than pure laccase, have been used to polymerize BL lignin. Black liquor is a toxic waste product from the pulp and paper industry that contains lignin. However, the M of lignin is too low for commercial use. The bacteria performed two processes. First, the bacteria produced laccase, which degraded lignin into low M aromatic compounds (LMWACs). Second, the laccase transformed the LMWACs into quinone intermediates, which polymerized and became high M lignin. Five bacterial strains were isolated from a pulp mill, and the best strain was selected. The optimum growing conditions and BL concentration were determined. The optimum growth conditions when using pure lignin were 1 g/L lignin, 5 g/L urea, and 35 °C. When using BL instead of pure lignin, the optimum concentration was 2% BL (v/v). This information could help develop effective industrial utilization of BL lignin.

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 180748 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanie L. Mathews ◽  
Mary Jane Epps ◽  
R. Kevin Blackburn ◽  
Michael B. Goshe ◽  
Amy M. Grunden ◽  
...  

A citizen science project found that the greenhouse camel cricket ( Diestrammena asynamora ) is common in North American homes. Public response was to wonder ‘what good are they anyway?’ and ecology and evolution guided the search for potential benefit. We predicted that camel crickets and similar household species would likely host bacteria with the ability to degrade recalcitrant carbon compounds. Lignocellulose is particularly relevant as it is difficult to degrade yet is an important feedstock for pulp and paper, chemical and biofuel industries. We screened gut bacteria of greenhouse camel crickets and another household insect, the hide beetle ( Dermestes maculatus ) for the ability to grow on and degrade lignocellulose components as well as the lignocellulose-derived industrial waste product black liquor. From three greenhouse camel crickets and three hide beetles, 14 bacterial strains were identified that were capable of growth on lignocellulosic components, including lignin. Cedecea lapagei was selected for further study due to growth on most lignocellulose components. The C. lapagei secretome was identified using LC/MS/MS analysis. This work demonstrates a novel source of lignocellulose-degrading bacteria and introduces an effective workflow to identify bacterial enzymes for transforming industrial waste into value-added products. More generally, our research suggests the value of ecologically guided discovery of novel organisms.


TAPPI Journal ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 14 (11) ◽  
pp. 743-749 ◽  
Author(s):  
TROY M. RUNGE ◽  
SCOTT PAUL

Bamboo is one of the world’s fastest growing feedstocks. It is a promising nonwood resource that can be used in the pulp and paper industry. Among more than 1200 species of bamboo, the timber varieties can be processed much like trees, allowing current pulp mill logistical systems to be used. Bamboo can be difficult to pulp because of its high silica content, which creates issues for black liquor recovery. This study compares two methods of reducing the silica content of a common species of timber bamboo. Specifically, the dermis layer of Moso bamboo (Phyllostachys edulis) was removed through mechanical treatment and then chipped. The same species was also chipped without treatment. The two chipped materials were then alkali extracted and subjected to kraft pulping experiments. The pulps were bleached with an OD0(EP)D1 sequence. The material was then refined and formed into handsheets. The results indicate that 80% of the silica could be removed from the bamboo material through a combination of dermal mechanical treatment and caustic chip extraction. Caustic chip extraction removed a significant portion of hemicellulose materials, which in turn lowered cooking yields but had minimal effect on pulp properties.


CORROSION ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 62 (10) ◽  
pp. 911-917 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. E. Hazlewood ◽  
P. M. Singh ◽  
J. S. Hsieh

Abstract In the pulp and paper industry, variability in the process and wood source may result in highly corrosive waste liquors, called black liquors, from the Kraft pulping process. Prior research has demonstrated corrosion rates of carbon steel in pulp mill equipment ranging from <0.03 mm/y to >2.54 mm/y, depending on the wood species pulped. In this study wood species-dependent corrosion is confirmed and age-dependent corrosion is investigated as a function of organic extractive content. The composition of the organic portion of black liquor depends largely on the wood species used. Organic components come from extractives in the wood chips or are generated from the degradation of lignin and other wood constituents during the pulping process. Depending upon the wood species used, some black liquor constituents have been identified to increase the corrosiveness of black liquors whereas others may act as corrosion inhibitors. Our research demonstrates the importance of operational parameters for wood species and wood chip usage and delivery to downstream process corrosion. Further, results show the importance of water-extracted organics in wood, such as long chain fatty acids, using a novel methodology for the separation of extractives and lignin breakdown products in the testing of black liquor corrosiveness with carbon steel A516-Grade 70 (UNS K02700).


1992 ◽  
Vol 114 (4) ◽  
pp. 665-675 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. D. Larson

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion is raising new interest in using renewable biomass for energy. Modest-scale cogeneration systems using air-blown gasifiers coupled to aeroderivative gas turbines are expected to have high efficiencies and low unit capital costs, making them well-suited for use with biomass. Biomass-gasifier/gas turbine (BIG/GT) technology is not commercial, but efforts aimed at near-term commercialization are ongoing worldwide. Estimated performance and cost and prospects for commercial development of two BIG/GT systems are described, one using solid biomass fuel (e.g., wood chips), the other using kraft black liquor. At an energy-efficient kraft pulp mill, a BIG/GT cogeneration system could produce over three times as much electricity as is typically produced today. The mill’s on-site energy needs could be met and a large surplus of electricity would be available for export. Using in addition currently unutilized forest residues for fuel, electricity production would be nearly five times today’s level. The total cost to produce the electricity in excess of on-site needs is estimated to be below 4 cents per kWh in most cases. At projected growth rates for kraft pulp production, the associated biomass residue fuels could support up to 100 GW of BIG/GT capacity at kraft pulp mills worldwide in 2020 (30 GW in the US). The excess electricity production worldwide in 2020 would be equivalent to 10 percent of today’s electricity production from fossil fuels.


2014 ◽  
Vol 43 (3) ◽  
pp. 159-174 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khlood S. Abdel Zaher ◽  
R.H. Swellem ◽  
Galal A.M. Nawwar ◽  
Fathy M. Abdelrazek ◽  
Salwa H. El-Sabbagh

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the efficiency of lignin/silica and calcium lignate/calcium silicate as natural antioxidants in styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) vulcanizates. Design/methodology/approach – It has been found that thermal aging data of the aged sample revealed that SBR vulcanizate undergoes crosslink reactions that lead to embrittlement and ultimately failure. Incorporation of lignin/silica or calcium lignate/calcium silicate, however, resulted in significant improvement of the degradation profile of the vulcanizates at 90±1°C. Loss of tensile strength and flexibility during aging of the SBR compounds with 8 phr lignin/silica or calcium lignate/calcium silicate was mild relative to unfilled polymer, indicating a restricted degradation due to the presence of the investigated compounds. The results obtained revealed that the investigated compounds are good antioxidant, and the evaluation was confirmed by physico-mechanical properties of the vulcanizates, FT-IR spectroscopy, transmission (TEM) and scanning (SEM) electron microscope. Findings – It was noticed that SBR vulcanizates having 8 phr of lignin/silica or calcium lignate/calcium silicate exhibited the best mechanical properties in comparison with other concentrations (1, 2, 4, 6 and 10 phr). Also, results revealed that the lignin/silica derivatives are efficient antioxidants in SBR vulcanizates compared to vulcanizates containing conventional antioxidants used in rubber industry, namely polymerized 2,2,4-trimethyl-1, 2-dihydroquinoline (TMQ), and N-isopropyl-N'-phenyl-P-phenylenediamine (IPPD). Research limitations/implications – All these results indicated that lignin/silica and calcium lignate/calcium silicate in SBR had good heat resistance and aging resistance, calcium lignate/calcium silicate has an application limitation as not all vulcanizates need to use CaCO3/calcium salts. Practical implications – Lignin is usually seen as a waste product of pulp and paper industry and is often used as fuel for the energy balance of the pulping process. It is simple isolation along with silica from rice straw and using it as an antioxidant added further practical utility for this waste. Originality/value – The importance of lignin/silica derivatives is arisen from their biodegradability and their ease availability from rice straw black liquor.


Author(s):  
Eric D. Larson

Increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide from fossil fuel combustion is raising new interest in using renewable biomass for energy. Modest-scale cogeneration systems using air-blown gasifiers coupled to aeroderivative gas turbines are expected to have high efficiencies and low unit capital costs, making them well-suited for use with biomass. Biomass-gasifier/gas-turbine (BIG/GT) technology is not commercial, but efforts aimed at near-term commercialization are ongoing worldwide. Estimated performance and cost and prospects for commercial development of two BIG/GT systems are described, one using solid biomass fuel (e.g. wood chips), the other using kraft black liquor. At an energy-efficient kraft pulp mill, a BIG/GT cogeneration system could produce over three times as much electricity as is typically produced today. The mill’s on-site energy needs could be met and a large surplus of electricity would be available for export. Using in addition currently unutilized forest residues for fuel, electricity production would be nearly five times today’s level. The total cost to produce the electricity in excess of on-site needs is estimated to be below 4 cents per kWh in most cases. At projected growth rates for kraft pulp production, the associated biomass residue fuels could support up to 100 GW of BIG/GT capacity at kraft pulp mills worldwide in 2020 (30 GW in the US). The excess electricity production worldwide in 2020 would be equivalent to 10% of today’s electricity production from fossil fuels.


TAPPI Journal ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 17-24 ◽  
Author(s):  
HAKIM GHEZZAZ ◽  
LUC PELLETIER ◽  
PAUL R. STUART

The evaluation and process risk assessment of (a) lignin precipitation from black liquor, and (b) the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction for recovery boiler debottlenecking in an existing pulp mill is presented in Part I of this paper, which was published in the July 2012 issue of TAPPI Journal. In Part II, the economic assessment of the two biorefinery process options is presented and interpreted. A mill process model was developed using WinGEMS software and used for calculating the mass and energy balances. Investment costs, operating costs, and profitability of the two biorefinery options have been calculated using standard cost estimation methods. The results show that the two biorefinery options are profitable for the case study mill and effective at process debottlenecking. The after-tax internal rate of return (IRR) of the lignin precipitation process option was estimated to be 95%, while that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option was 28%. Sensitivity analysis showed that the after tax-IRR of the lignin precipitation process remains higher than that of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process option, for all changes in the selected sensitivity parameters. If we consider the after-tax IRR, as well as capital cost, as selection criteria, the results show that for the case study mill, the lignin precipitation process is more promising than the near-neutral hemicellulose pre-extraction process. However, the comparison between the two biorefinery options should include long-term evaluation criteria. The potential of high value-added products that could be produced from lignin in the case of the lignin precipitation process, or from ethanol and acetic acid in the case of the hemicellulose pre-extraction process, should also be considered in the selection of the most promising process option.


TAPPI Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 265-272 ◽  
Author(s):  
ROHAN BANDEKAR ◽  
JIM FREDERICK ◽  
JAROSLAV STAVIK

This study addresses the challenges a dissolving-grade pulp mill in Canada faced in 2014 in meeting its total reduced sulfur (TRS) gas emission limit. These emissions from the recovery boiler exit are controlled by passing the boiler exit gas through a TRS scrubber system. The mill employs a cyclonic direct contact evaporator to concentrate black liquor to firing solids content. The off-gases from the direct contact evaporator flow to the effluent gas control system that consists of a venturi scrubber, a packed bed scrubber, and a heat recovery unit. Emissions of TRS greater than the regulated limit of 15 ppm were observed for a 4-month period in 2014. The level of emissions measured during this period was significantly higher than about 12 ppm, the expected average value based on historic experience. The problem persisted from mid-June 2014 until the annual mill shutdown in October 2014. The main TRS components detected and the performance of the Teller scrubber in capturing them are examined. Other potential causes for these emissions are identified, including mechanical problems such as broken packing in the TRS packed bed scrubber, broken baffle plates in the scrubber, and cyclone evaporator leaks causing air ingress. Repairs were carried out during the mill shutdown, which eliminated the TRS emissions problem.


TAPPI Journal ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 15 (7) ◽  
pp. 467-477
Author(s):  
PASI NIEMELAINEN ◽  
MARTTI PULLIAINEN ◽  
JARMO KAHALA ◽  
SAMPO LUUKKAINEN

Black liquor high solids (about 80%) concentrators have often been found to suffer from aggressive corrosion. In particular, the first and second effect bodies are susceptible to corrosion attacks resulting in tube leaks and wall thinning, which limit the availability and lifetime of evaporator lines. Corrosion dynamics and construction materials have been studied extensively within the pulp and paper industry to understand the corrosion process. However, it has been challenging to identify root causes for corrosion, which has limited proactive measures to minimize corrosion damage. Corrosion of the first phase concentrator was studied by defining the potential regions for passive area, stress corrosion cracking, pitting corrosion, and general corrosion. This was achieved by using a technique called polarization scan that reveals ranges for the passive area in which the equipment is naturally protected against corrosion. The open circuit potential, also known as corrosion potential, and linear polarization resistance of the metal were monitored online, which allowed for definition of corrosion risks for stainless steel 304L and duplex stainless steels 2205 and SAF 2906. An online temperature measurement added insight to the analysis. A process diagnostics tool was used to identify root causes of the corrosion attacks. Many of the root causes were related to process conditions triggering corrosion. Once the metal surface was activated, it was difficult to repassivate the metal naturally unless a sufficient potential range was reached.


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