ontrol of micro-stickies originated from recycling of Old Corrugated Containers (OCC) using some selected chemical and physical methods

Efficient approaches to eliminate or neutralize stickies is one of the topics of recent research. In the current study, some of the most conventional chemical and physical strategies in controlling these contaminants were compared. Control of micro-stickies originated from recycling of OCC using some selected physical approaches (washing, washing-flotation, flotation-washing and flotation) and some selected chemical methods by 4 fixing agents (Alum-PAC-pDADMAC-Cationic Starch) at 0.1-0.5-1 % dosing levels based on oven-dry weight of pulp were investigated. Electrical conductivity, TDS, turbidity, dissolved and colloidal substances (DCS) and COD were measured and compared to evaluate the efficiency of each approaches of micro- stickies removal. The results indicated that the lowest value of electrical conductivity and TDS in the physical methods was related to the flotation-washing stage and in the chemical methods was related to cationic starch 1%. The lowest amount of turbidity in the physical methods was observed in the washing and washing-flotation. Besides, the potential of secondary stickies was the lowest in the washing stage, while the flotation method had the highest potential of secondary stickies. Among the different dosing levels of the fixing agents, the lowest level of turbidity and DCS was determined for pDADMAC with 0.1% addition level, and the lowest amount of potential of secondary stickies was observed for Alum with 0.5% dosage. Both in the physical and chemical methods turbidity and DCS in pH4 was more than neutral pH. In the chemical approach with cationic starch dosage at 1% and in the physical method with the washing-flotation stage, the lowest amount of COD was reached