DECREASING CATIONIC DEMAND OF PEROXIDE-BLEACHED THERMOMECHANICAL PULP WITH PECTINASE ENZYME INCREASES FINES AND FILER RETENTION

Treatment with the enzyme pectinase has been reported to lower the cationic demand of thermomechanical pulp(TMP) bleached with alkaline peroxide in the laboratory. We have extended this discovery to bleached TMP produced industrially, and shown that commercial enzyme preparations can treat pulp within 15 minutes at the at the temperature and pH values prevalent in paper mills. About half of the cationic demand in the bleached pulp can be destroyed by pectinase. Dynamic drainage jar experiments show that the enzyme treatment improves the effectiveness of several cationic polymers to increase retention in the absence of retention aids or with non-ionic polymers, and does not damage the strength properties of the pulp. Pectinase could be easily incorporated into paper machine stock preparation systems to lower the charges of cationic retention aids needed in furnishes containing peroxide-bleached mechanical pulp.