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Hi René. Even though you're just a fox, I'm sure you or one of your friends can answer some of my questions. You see, I'm doing a project for chemistry on, yeah, you guessed it, pulp and paper. I'd just like to have some information on what kind of chemicals you use in the process of pulping and making paper, and what products come from those reactions. Chemical formulas and equations would be very helpful. Thank you for all your help. I have compiled a list of journals that you can reference for additional information: PULP AND PAPER MANUFACTURE CHEMICAL RECOVERY IN THE ALKALINE PULPING PULP BLEACHING: Principles and Practice Don McCabe - Sr. Process Engineer, Irving Pulp & Paper Is it possible / reasonable to try to grow evergreens and/or hardwoods from seed on my woodlot in Nova Scotia? Can I get seedlings from Irving in any event? Concerning your question of growing softwoods or hardwoods from seed. Yes, most certainly it is possible to grow trees from seed, but I would caution you that the results may not be as favourable as you would like. Unless you have a greenhouse or similar climate controlled area, you would probably not do as well as mother nature would in starting out those trees. I would not want to discourage you from experimenting as this can be a great learning experience and most rewarding, but on a semi-commercial scale such as for your woodlot, this method would be impractical. A better success rate can be achieved affordably by purchasing seedlings from the Department of Natural Resources. Four years ago in NB, 1000 red pine seedings could be purchased for approximately $120. These seedlings are usually 15-20 cm tall and have already gone through the critical survival period, so your success rate (depending on site suitability, etc) would be over 75 -80%. I would encourage you to try some seeds though, and will provide you with the name and address for a free publication that is invaluable in this regard. "Trees and shrubs from seed: Gathering, storing and planting" by The Tree Project 180 St. John Street, Fredericton, NB E3B 4A9. Also provided is a listing of Nurseries in NS (and one in NB) that you may be able to buy seeds from, or at the very least, buy seedlings. OCTA EVERGREEN STRATHLORNE FOREST NURSERY NOVA SCOTIA TREE BREEDING CENTRE NOVA TREE SEEDS OLD RIDGE NURSERY Kelly Honeyman - Naturalist, J. D. Irving, Limited (Woodlands) I recently visited your web-site in hopes of finding a definition of "black liquor". What I am trying to determine is how this product is involved in the paper making process. I am an engineer but have limited knowledge of the papermaking industry...so please, a not too technical answer would be greatly appreciated. To understand "black liquor" requires some understanding of what wood is and how pulp is produced. Simply stated, wood is composed of wood fibres (cellulose) and an organic glue called lignin. The chemical pulping process is used to separate the cellulose from the lignin. To pulp wood, a large pot called a digester is filled with wood chips and a fresh charge of liquor (called white liquor containing active chemicals) is added and cooked for a preset period of time. During the cooking process, these chemicals dissolve the lignin and leave the cellulose for the production of pulp. These "cooked" chemicals and dissolved lignin are referred to as "black liquor". The black liquor is then concentrated, burned and the spent chemicals are regenerated (recovered) back to active chemicals that can be used again. You are right in saying that black liquor is a by-product of the pulping industry, but this product is never disposed of, but rather is recycled. Don McCabe - Senior Process Engineer, Irving Pulp & Paper I am writing a report on how paper disintigrates in different
types There are several factors which affect the way paper disintegrates or decomposes. These include but are not limited to: moisture, nitrogen availability, pH, paper type and surface area exposed. Paper will eventually decompose in almost any soil type but the process can be greatly accelerated when these factors are controlled, such as in a composting system. All of these factors influence the ability of microbes (bacteria
& fungi) to Nitrogen availability will differ with different soil types. Paper contains a large amount of carbon but has few other nutrients. Carbon is the main energy source (food) for microbes but nitrogen is needed for microbial population growth as it is necessary for protein production. If nitrogen is limited, the microbe populations will remain small and it will take longer for them to decompose (consume) the available carbon. The best pH range for the decomposition process is 5.5 - 8. The lower or more acidic end of this range favours the growth of fungi which break down lignin and cellulose, the main components of wood and therefore paper. This means that slightly acidic soils will speed up the disintegration of paper. Soils which are very acidic (pH < 5.5) or alkaline (pH>8) will slow decomposition because these conditions limit microbial activity. Different types of paper will decompose at different rates.
For instance, This brings us to the last factor, surface area exposed. The microbes have to be physically on the organic material in order for decomposition to occur. If the surface area is increased (e.g. by shredding the paper) then there would be more places for the microbes to grow. Other factors which would affect decomposition include oxygen
supply, Paula Noel - Composting Project, Irving Paper |