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A Simple Flotation De-Inking Experiment for the Recycling of Paper

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Richard A. Venditti

Department of Wood and Paper Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005

J. Chem. Educ., 2004, 81 (5), p 693

DOI: 10.1021/ed081p693

Publication Date (Web): May 1, 2004

Section:

History, Education, and Documentation

Abstract

Flotation de-inking technology is used in the paper recycling process to preferentially remove hydrophobic contaminants, such as inks and toners from a slurry of fibers in water. In the process fine air bubbles are introduced into the suspension and the hydrophobic contaminants, preferentially attached to the bubble–water interface, are carried to the top of the flotation vessel and are skimmed away in a reject stream. Clean fibers are taken from another port of the vessel as the accept stream. This short article describes a simple, inexpensive method to execute in the laboratory a batch type flotation de-inking process on wastepaper. In the experiment, wastepaper is dispersed in water and then de-inked using a laboratory flotation apparatus readily assembled from common lab equipment. The product streams are collected on filter paper to determine the contaminant removal efficiency and the fiber yield. The experiment is useful for middle or high school science courses or introductory-level college environmental, chemical engineering, or chemistry courses in need of a simple experiment that demonstrates, for example, concepts in separation technology, surface science, or mass balances. A host of complementary information pertaining to the manufacturing and recycling of paper and many other paper making and paper recycling activities can be found at the following Web site.

Keywords (Audience):

High School / Introductory Chemistry

Keywords (Domain):

Laboratory Instruction

Keywords (Pedagogy):

Hands-On Learning / Manipulatives

Keywords (Subject):

Separation Science

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