• Journal of Korea Technical Association of The Pulp and Paper Industry
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.24-29
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• 2009

The use of fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) increases as the demand for the whiter and brighter printing papers increases. FWAs are used as internal and surface treatment chemicals. FWAs that are not used properly in the papermaking process, however, remain in the process water and may demage the paper quality and processes. In this study, a new idea to eliminate FWAs from the process water, consisted of the floc formation of FWAs with cationic chemicals, such as cationic polyelectrolytes and alum, and the removal of the floc by screening or sedimentation, was proposed. Flocculation of FWAs, that is the first step to remove FWAs from the process water, was investigated using turbidity and particle size measurement. Relationship between turbidity and particle size showed that the turbidity could reflect the particle size change of FWA flocs and was proper for the evaluation of flocculation phenomena. Poly-DADMAC was more efficient than PEI to induce the flocculation of FWAs. Alum was effective chemical for the flocculation and sedimentation of FWAs.