Global Journal of Environmental Research 4 (1): 18-22, 2010 ISSN 1990-925X IDOSI Publications, 2010

Studies on the Characterization and Possibilities of Reutilization of Solid Wastes from a Waste Paper Based Paper Industry
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Suriyanarayanan. S., 1 A.S. Mailappa, 1 D. Jayakumar, 2 K. Nanthakumar, 2 K. Karthikeyan and 1 S. Balasubramanian

DRDO-BU Centre for Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamil Nadu, India 2 Department of Environmental Sciences, School of Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore-641 046, Tamilnadu, India

Abstract: The disposal of industrial wastes is a problem of increasing importance throughout the world. Sludge from paper mills are produced in large quantities in most industrial nations of the world today due to the large usage of paper, constitute one of our most serious environmental problems. Paper mill sludge has substantially little usage as a material that can be employed in other industrial applications. Because of its non-utility, the paper mill sludge is merely discarded, along with other waste cellulosic fiber, creating a tremendous disposal problem. The characteristics of biosolids are variable and directly related to the technology used to pulp, the wood and manufacture the paper and to the type of effluent treatment that is employed.The aim of this work is to investigate and qualify the dried sludge from a recycled paper mill and the results were compared with the earlier reports and the possibilities of reutilization for composting / soil amendment were evaluated. Key words: Sludge % Nutrients % Effluent % Paper mill % Recycle INTRODUCTION Solid wastes generated from industrial sources are heterogeneous in composition, ranging from inert inorganic (such as produced in mining and collieries) to organic (in industries producing basic consumer products) and may include even hazardous constituents (as in pesticide industry). Sludge is the largest by-product of the pulp and paper industry and disposal of sludge is a major solid waste problem for the industry [1,2]. It was predicted that a global shift in paper and paperboard production would result in the Asia-Pacific region emerging as a major producer of papermill sludge. Global production of papermill sludge was predicted to rise over the next 50 years by between 48 and 86% over current levels [3]. The nature of sludge generated from paper industries is mainly depends on the raw materials used in different unit processes. Sludge generated from the industrial sources contains a large number of ingredients, some of which are toxic. Solid waste is generated from the both large and small categories of paper mills. Solid waste from paper industries is generated usually in various stages of paper production viz., (the raw material handling and preparation sections as sludge from the effluent treatment plants, causticizing section in the chemical recovery unit in the form of lime mud). Solid waste disposal is usually to landfill, although incineration is becoming increasingly widespread. Prior to any land application of solid residues, the levels of chemicals of concern need to be routinely demonstrated to fall below realistic regulatory levels. The purpose of this research was to demonstrate the characteristics of a wastepaper based paper mill bio-solids and the possibilities of recycling as a soil amendment/ compost. Methodology: The sludge samples were collected in air tight plastic containers from the sludge drying bed of the effluent treatment plant. Four representative sludge samples derived from different varieties of paper production were collected for their chemical characteristics using standard methods of Jackson [4]: Piper [5] and Lindsay and Norwell [6]. The laboratory analysis was performed sub-samples, in triplicate.

Corresponding Author: Dr. S.Suriyanarayanan, DRDO-BU Centre for Life Sciences, Bharathiar University, Coimbatore -641 046, Tamil Nadu, India

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Global J. Environ. Res., 4 (1): 18-22, 2010

Fig. 1: Location of Kanchipuran district in Tamilnadu Study Area Description: Cholan Paper and Board Mills Ltd., is a waste paper based paper mill and is located at Pukkathurai village in Kanchipuram District of Tamil Nadu and situated in the Southern agro climatic zone, which lies at a geographical location of 12.12 N and 79.32 E (Fig. 1). The production capacity of the Cholan paper mill is 18 tonnes per day. Annual production of this mill is above 6000 to 7000 tonnes. The wastewater generated from various stages of manufacturing are intermittent and the total wastewater discharge for the maximum production capacity of 18 tonnes is 950 m3/day. The paper mill has installed an effluent treatment plant to treat 1100m3/day at a cost of 50 lakhs. The effluent treatment plant has primary and secondary treatment systems. RESULTS Waste paper mill sludges originating from different effluent treatment and de-inking installations are complex mixtures of inorganic and organic particles. Due to their favourable physico-chemical, and microbiological characteristics, they may be conveniently reused for different purposes as such or after appropriate pretreatment [7]. Effluents from the Cholan paper industry were extensively tested and results were presented in Table 1. The characteristics of treated effluent are compared with the standards of Common Effluent Treated Plant (CETP), Central Pollution Control Board, Ministry of Environment and Forest growth of India.

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Global J. Environ. Res., 4 (1): 18-22, 2010

Table 1 : Effluent characteristics of Cholan Paper and Board Mill PVT. Ltd. Physico Chemical S.No 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Parameters SS (mg LG1) TDS (mg LG ) pH EC (dSmG1) OC (%) BOD (mg LG1) COD (mg LG1) N (mg LG1) P (mg LG1) K (mg LG1) Ca (mg LG ) Mg (mg LG1) Na (mg LG1) Sulphates (mg LG1) SAR
1 1

Raw effluent Mean (n=12) 245 2534 7.02 1.27 0.56 261 1996 19 1.27 18.78 384 164 744 242 3.58

Treated effluent Mean (n=12) 118-154 645-925 7.3-8.2 1.13-1.43 0.48-0.77 56-77 248-362 12-28 1.21-1.51 16.3-24.2 212-286 48-94 326-480 98-138 2.01-3.05

the paper mill recorded low contents of total nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium with the values of 0.05mg/kg, 0.03 mg/kg and 0.05 mg/kg, respectively. The calcium and magnesium contents were found to be 12 mg/kg and 26.4 mg/kg, respectively. The solid waste of Cholan paper mill sludge contained appreciable amounts of micronutrients. The contents of Zn, Fe, and Cu in sludge recorded were 0.15 mg/kg, 0.031 mg/kg and 0.25 mg/kg respectively. DISCUSSION The effluent quality was satisfied with common effluent treatment disposal values and the treatment plant using sufficient coagulants and the sludge settleability was well managed in the effluent treatment plant. From this study, the physical and chemical properties of paper mill sludge largely depend on the nature of pulping and papermaking or recycling process, the wastewater treatment process, as well as the material feedstock used at mill. The pH was observed to be neutral (6.90) in the sludge of paper mill. The EC was found to be relatively higher in the sludge (1.5 dsmG1) than the raw and treated effluent. An increased pH and EC of paper mill solid waste corroborated with the results of Simard et al., [8]. The application of sludge with a considerable C: N ratio in the soil is of very much important in enhancing the soil fertility. The nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium values of the sludge were found to be 0.053, 0.024 and 0.051 mg kgG1 respectively. According to WESA, [9], calcium in paper mill biosolids, is ranging between 1% to 10%. The present study showed that the calcium content of the sludge is very low (12 mg kgG1) when compared to the earlier reports. The micro and macro nutrients contents were very minimum level when compared to the reports of Bellamy et al., [10], Alberta Environmental Protection, [11], WESA, [9]. Cholan paper mill generates large amounts of sludge and this can be used in many different ways, depends upon collection and processing. Currently, most sludge produced paper mills is dewatered and landfilled. Landfills are becoming difficult to site and costly to construct and operate because of more stringent regulations, diminishing land availability, and public opposition [12,13]. Landfilling with or without incineration or precomposting is the most common disposal method. Composted paper mill wastes have been proposed as good soil conditioners because of their high OM content and low toxicity [14]. 20

Table 2: S.No 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16.

Sludge characteristics of Cholan paper and board mills Pvt. Ltd. Parameters Moisture Loss of ignition (at 650o C) Ash content Calorific Value (dry basis) pH EC [cmol (+).kgG1] C:N Ratio Organic Carbon (mg/kg) Nitrogen (mg/kg) Phosphorus (mg/kg) Potassium (mg/kg) Calcium (mg/kg) Magnesium (mg/kg) Zinc (mg/kg) Iron (mg/kg) Copper (mg/kg) Mean 80 % 22.8 % 77.2 % 1000.00 % 6.890.15 44.710.79 24.831.43 1.320.18 0.050.01 0.030.01 0.050.01 12.001.31 26.412.53 0.150.02 0.030.01 0.250.02

n (No. of samples) = 12

All the parameters of treated effluent are well within the limit of CETP standards except the COD values. Twelve representative sludge samples have been collected from the paper mill effluent treatment plant during the production of different variety of papers. The analytical results on the physico-chemical characteristics of paper mill sludge are presented in Table 2. The mean pH value of the sludge was 6.89 and acidic in nature. The mean electrical conductivity of the solid waste was found to be 44.71 (Cmol (p+) kgG1). The mean value of organic carbon content of the sludge was 1.31 mg/kg. The solid waste of

Global J. Environ. Res., 4 (1): 18-22, 2010

The C: N ratio of 30 to 40:1 would be desirable for composting process. Deficiency in this ratio needs some additional nutrients for composting [15]. The result of the present study of paper mill sludge showed that the level of nutrients required were below the level required for composting [15]. Therefore the paper mill biosolids are not suitable for direct composting and required additional nutrients to enhance the composting process. There is an evidence of tree growth enhancement through addition of paper mill residue, suggesting its potential use as soil amendments. Forty years of pine plantation is showed increase percentage of foliar dry mass, needle length and diameter growth from paper mill residuals at application rates ranging from 16 to 32 mg haG1 [16]. It has been demonstrated that, when properly managed applications of pulp and paper mill biosolids to agricultural fields can provide benefits through accelerated biomass production and improvement of soil quality without adverse effects to the environment. Characterization research mainly emphasis the knowledge of the chemical characteristics of solid wastes for selecting and designing the waste processing and disposal facilities. Concern for disposal of paper mill sludge in landfills has increased over the last 10 years. Land filling and incineration of by-products have become unfavorable means of disposal [17,10,18]. Alternatives for disposing of paper mill sludge currently are being sought. The high organic matter content and low trace metal and organic pollutants in pulp and paper mill sludge suggest that these residuals may provide a valuable resource for soil amendments [10]. As supplies for traditional organic amendments including peat moss, composts, and farm manures are diminishing near urban areas, opportunities for beneficial use of paper mill sludge on land have increased [18-20]. Successful use of paper mill sludge in agriculture must demonstrate, without adverse effects, that crops benefit or soil properties improve from the addition of the sludge as a soil amendment. As mentioned before, paper sludge is mainly composed of fibrous fines; therefore, it may have potential application in particleboard production as an alternative to wood fiber. The process of particleboard production with paper sludge as a surface layer is similar to that of particleboard production using a combination of wood fibers and wood particles. A few research efforts have been conducted on using paper sludge as a substitute for wood fiber to

manufacture fiberboard [21], Fernandez [22], Asghar [23]. Some pretreatments, such as removing inorganic materials and dirt from paper sludge, may be important before use in particleboard production. CONCLUSION Based on the above aspects this sludge can be used as a fuel or energy source in bark boilers, as a bulking agent or carbon source for composting, used in animal bedding, or can be used as a raw material in the manufacture of absorbents. This can also be use as alternative cover at a sanitary landfill when mixed with soil in 50:50 volume. The application of Cholan paper sludge for particleboard manufacture requires further investigation on mechanical properties, water resistance, adhesive and bondability. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The Authors are thankful to the University for providing necessary facilities to carryout the research work. REFERENCES 1. Battaglia, A., N. Calace, E. Nardi., B.M. Petronio and M. Pietroletti, 2003. Paper mill sludge-soil mixture: Kinetic and thermodynamic tests of cadmium and lead sorption capability. Microchem. J., 75: 97-102. Geng, X., J. Deng and S.Y. Zhang, 2006. Effects of hot-pressing parameters and wax content on the properties of fiberboard made from paper mill sludge. Wood Fiber Sci., 38(4) : 736-741. Mabee, W and D.N. Roy, 2003. Modeling the role of papermill sludge in the organic carbon cycle of paper products. .Environ. Rev., 11(1): 1-16. Jackson, M.L., 1973. Soil Chemical Analysis. Prentice Hall of India Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi. Piper, C.S., 1966. Soil and plant analysis. Hans Publishers, Bombay. Lindsay, W.L and W. Norwell, 1978. Development of a DTPA soil test for zinc, iron, manganese and copper, Soil Sci. Soci. Am. J., 42: 421-428. Zule, J., F. Cernec and M. Likon, 2007. Chemical properties and biodegradability of waste paper mill sludges to be used for landfill covering. Waste Manag. Res., 25(6): 538-546.

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17. Basta, N.T., 2000. Examples and case studies of beneficial reuse of municipal by products.. In Soil Science of American, Inc. Land Application of Agricultural, Industrial, and Municipal By-Products. SSSA American Book Series 6, Madison, Wis. pp: 481-504. 18. Thiel, D.A., 1985. Combined primary/secondary sludge proves beneficial for potatoes and corn. In TAPPI Proceedings, Environ. Conf. TAPPI Press, Atlanta, Ga., pp: 261-278. 19. Carpenter, A.F and I.J. Fernandez., 2000. Pulp sludge as a component in manufactured topsoil. J. Environ. Qual., 29: 387-397. 20. Edwards, J.H., 1997. Composition and use of uncomposted waste paper and other organics. In J.E. Rechcigl and H.C. MacKinnon (Ed). Agricultural Uses of By-Products and Wastes, pp: 163-184. 21. Lee, P.W., J.I. Son and Y.K. Lee, 1999. Tensile strength of composite from Hanji (Korean Paper) sludge mixed with wood Wber or particle. Department of Forest Product, Seoul National University, Suwon, Korea, 441-744. 22. Fernandez, E.C., C.R. Lamason and T.S. Delgado, 2001. Housing construction material from paper mill sludge. In: Proceeding of the 5th International Workshop on the Use of Paper Industry Sludge in Environmental Geotechnology and Construction, 23-24 May, Philippines. 23. Taramian, A., K. Doosthoseini, S.A. Mirshokraii and M. Faezipour, 2007. Particleboard manufacturing: An innovative way to recycle paper sludge. Waste Manag., 27: 1739-1746.

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