title: Separation of lignocelluloses from spent liquor of NSSC pulping process via adsorption.
abstract: Hemicelluloses and lignin present in the spent liquor (SL) of neutral sulfite semichemical (NSSC) pulping process can potentially be converted into value-added products such as furfural, hydroxymethylfurfural, levulinic acid, phenols and adhesives. However, the direct conversion of hemicelluloses and lignin of SL into value-added products is uneconomical due to the dilute nature of the SL. To have a feasible downstream process for utilizing lignocelluloses of SL, the lignocelluloses should initially be separated from the SL. In this study, an adsorption process (via applying activated carbon) was considered for isolating the dissolved lignin and hemicelluloses from the SL of an NSSC pulping process. Under the optimal conditions of pH, SL/AC weight ratio, time and temperature of 5.7, 30, 360 min and 30 °C, the maximum lignin and hemicellulose adsorptions were 0.33 and 0.25 g/g on AC. The chemical oxygen demand (COD) and turbidity of the SL were decreased by 11% and 39%, respectively, as a result of lignocellulose adsorption on AC. Also, the incineration behavior of the SL-treated AC was studied with a thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA).
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7E 5E1.
authors.forename: Mehdi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dashtban
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7E 5E1.
authors.forename: Allan
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Chemical Engineering Department, Lakehead University, 955 Oliver Road, Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada P7E 5E1. Electronic address: pfatehi@lakeheadu.ca.
authors.forename: Pedram
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Fatehi
mesh_terms: D000327:Adsorption; D057919:Biological Oxygen Demand Analysis; D002606:Charcoal / Q000737:chemistry; D005662:Furaldehyde / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000737:chemistry; D007982:Levulinic Acids / Q000737:chemistry; D008031:Lignin / Q000737:chemistry*; D010209:Paper; D011134:Polysaccharides / Q000737:chemistry; D013696:Temperature; D013818:Thermogravimetry; D014865:Waste Disposal, Fluid / Q000379:methods*; D014934:Wood / Q000737:chemistry
chemical_list: D007982:Levulinic Acids; D011134:Polysaccharides; C036909:lignocellulose; D002606:Charcoal; C008046:5-hydroxymethylfurfural; C007916:hemicellulose; D008031:Lignin; D005662:Furaldehyde; C032246:levulinic acid
keywords: Adsorption; Biorefinery; Bioseparation; NSSC process; Spent liquor