Paper Chemistry Laboratory

Services

• Analyses, qualified reports and counselling on chemical aspects of pulp and paper manufacturing processes.
• Bleaching of paper pulp with conventional sequences and environmentally benign sequences using H2O2, O2, O3, enzymes, etc.
• Automated ozone treatment plant. Pressurized oxygen bleaching reactors. Enzymatic reactors.
• Physico–chemical characterization of sheet formation.

Special equipment

• Specific reactors for the bleaching and biotreatment of paper pulp.
• Reactors for enzymatic treatment of paper pulp.
• Automated ozone atreatment plant: ozonizer, flow meter, ozone analysers and dedicated software.
• Equipment for determining process water and effluent parameters: COD reactor, BOD frigothermostat, Jar test equipment,  MICROTOX toxicity analyser, Conductivity meter, pH-meters.
• UV-Vis and Atomic absorption spectrophotometers.
• Autotitrators, Automatic Viscometer, Fat Extraction equipment, Rotary evaporator, analytical balances, stoves and muffle furnaces.

Ongoing and recently completed salient research and technology transfer projects:

• White Biotechnology for added value products from renewable plant polymers: Design of tailor-made biocatalysts and new industrial bioprocesses (BIORENEW). NMP2-CT-2006-026456. Sixth Framework Programme.
• Functionalization of lignocellulosic fibres by use of laccase–mediator systems involving natural phenolic compounds (FUNCICEL). CTQ2009-12904.
• Materials and application treatments of cement mortars reinforced with plant fibres (FIBRACEM-2006). BIA2006-11302.
• Optimization of new bleaching sequences using the laccase–mediator system (ENZPULP). CTQ2005-08925-C02-01/PPQ.

A. L. Torres

T. Vidal

M. B. Roncero

A. Clemente

O. Cusola