As an important handicraft industry, paper making will produce a lot of wastewater in the production process. These wastewater contains a lot of suspended matter, organic matter and pigment matter, which causes serious pollution to the environment. Therefore, effective treatment of papermaking wastewater is particularly important.

Papermaking Wastewater Is the Main Pollutant

1. Suspended matter: includes sedimentable suspended matter and non-sedimentable suspended matter, mainly fibers and fiber fine particles (i.e., broken fiber fragments and miscellaneous cells).

2.  Easy biodegradable organic matter: including low molecular weight hemicellulose, methanol, acetic acid, formic acid, sugar, etc.

3.  Difficult to biodegrade organic matter: mainly derived from the lignin and macromolecular carbohydrates contained in the fiber raw material. 

4. Toxic substances: Black liquor contains abietic acid and unsaturated fatty acids.

5. Chroma: The residual lignin contained in the pulping wastewater is darker in color.

The Role of Activated Carbon in the Treatment of Papermaking Wastewater
Paper mill wastewater usually contains a lot of organic matter, such as wood fiber residue, pulp residue, grease, resin and various chemical additives. These organic matter not only make the wastewater dark color, high turbidity, but also may produce unpleasant odor, causing serious pollution to the environment. Activated carbon uses its high pore structure and vast surface area to effectively adsorb impurities such as organic compounds and pigments in wastewater, thus significantly improving water quality.

1. Color removal and odor removal: activated carbon can absorb organic pigments and odorous substances in wastewater, reduce the color and odor of wastewater, and improve water quality.

2. Removal of organic matter: Activated carbon has a good adsorption capacity for organic matter in wastewater, including wood fiber residues, pulp residues and chemical additives.

3. Removal of heavy metals: Some chemicals used in the paper making process may contain heavy metal ions. Activated carbon can also effectively adsorb these heavy metal ions and reduce heavy metal pollution in wastewater.