Methods for deinking and decolorizing printed paper

Abstract

The present invention relates to methods for deinking and decolorizing a printed paper, comprising: (a) pulping the printed paper to obtain a pulp slurry; (b) dislodging an ink from the pulp slurry with one or more enzymes; (c) decolorizing the dye contained in the pulp slurry with one or more laccases in the presence of oxygen and optionally one or more chemical mediators; (d) separating the released ink from the pulp slurry; and (e) recovering the decolorized pulp. The present invention also relates to decolorized pulps prepared by such methods and to methods for producing recycled paper.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for deinking and decolorizng a printed paper, comprising: 
 (a) pulping the printed paper to obtain a pulp slurry;    (b) dislodging an ink from the pulp slurry with one or more enzymes;    (c) decolorizing the dye contained in the pulp slurry with one or more laccases in the presence of oxygen and optionally one or more chemical mediators;    (d) separating the released ink from the pulp slurry; and    (e) recovering the decolorized pulp.    
     
     
         2 . The method of    claim 1   , which further comprises after step (a) diluting the pulp slurry at least about two-fold.  
     
     
         3 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein the pulp slurry is diluted before step (b).  
     
     
         4 . The method of    claim 2   , wherein the pulp slurry is diluted after step (b).  
     
     
         5 . The method of any of claims  1 - 4 , wherein the pulping step is conducted at a consistency of about 3% to about 25%.  
     
     
         6 . The method of any of claims  1 - 5 , wherein the pulping step is conducted at a pH of about 4.5 to about 10.  
     
     
         7 . The method of any of claims  1 - 6 , wherein the pulping step is conducted at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 75° C.  
     
     
         8 . The method of any of claims  1 - 7 , wherein the pulping step is conducted for about 20 minutes to about 120 minutes.  
     
     
         9 . The method of any of claims  1 - 8 , wherein the dislodging step is conducted at a consistency of about 3% to about 25%.  
     
     
         10 . The method of any of claims  19 , wherein the dislodging step is conducted at a pH of about 4.5 to about 10.  
     
     
         11 . The method of any of claims  1 - 10 , wherein the dislodging step is conducted at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 80° C.  
     
     
         12 . The method of any of claims  1 - 11 , wherein the dislodging step is conducted for about 5 minutes to about 120 minutes.  
     
     
         13 . The method of    claim 1   , wherein steps (a) and (b) are conducted simultaneously.  
     
     
         14 . The method of    claim 13   , wherein the pulping and dislodging steps are conducted at a consistency of about 3% to about 25%.  
     
     
         15 . The method of    claim 13    or    14   , wherein the pulping and dislodging steps are conducted at a pH of about 4.5 to about 10.  
     
     
         16 . The method of any of claims  13 - 15 , wherein the pulping and dislodging steps are conducted at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 75° C.  
     
     
         17 . The method of any of claims  13 - 16 , wherein the pulping and dislodging steps are conducted for about 20 minutes to about 120 minutes.  
     
     
         18 . The method of any of claims  1 - 17 , wherein the one or more enzymes is selected from the group consisting of an amylase, cellulase, hemicellulase, lipase, pectin methylesterase, protease, and xylanase.  
     
     
         19 . The method of    claim 18   , wherein step (b), (c), or (d) is conducted in the presence of a surfactant.  
     
     
         20 . The method of    claim 19   , wherein the surfactant is an anionic surfactant or a nonionic surfactant.  
     
     
         21 . The method of    claim 19    or    20   , wherein the surfactant is added in an amount of about 0.02% to about 0.25% by weight of the pulp.  
     
     
         22 . The method of any of claims  1 - 21 , wherein the one or more laccases are selected from the group consisting of a bacterial, fungal, insect, and plant laccase.  
     
     
         23 . The method of    claim 22   , wherein the fungal laccase is a filamentous fungal laccase selected from the group consisting of an Acremonium, Agaricus, Antrodiella, Armillaria, Aspergillus, Aureobasidium, Bjerkandera, Cerrena, Chaetomium, Chrysosporium, Cryptococcus, Cryphonectria, Coprinus, Curvularia, Cyathus, Daedalea, Filibasidium, Fomes, Fusarium, Geotrichum, Halosarpheia, Humicola, Lactarius, Lentinus, Magnaporthe, Monilia, Monocillium, Mucor, Myceliophthora, Neocallimastix, Neurospora, Paecilomyces, Panus, Penicillium, Phanerochaete, Phellinus, Phlebia, Pholiota, Piromyces, Pleurotus, Podospora, Pycnoporus, Pyricularia, Rhizoctonia, Rigidoporus, Schizophyllum, Sclerotium, Scytalidium, Sordaria, Sporotrichum, Stagonospora, Talaromyces, Thermoascus, Thielavia, Tolypocladium, Trametes, and  Trichoderma laccase.    
     
     
         24 . The method of any of claims  1 - 23 , wherein the one or more laccases are added to the pulp slurry in amounts of about 0.01 to about 100 mg enzyme protein per kg of pulp.  
     
     
         25 . The method of any of claims  1 - 24 , wherein the one or more chemical mediators are a phenolic compound.  
     
     
         26 . The method of    claim 25   , wherein the chemical mediator is methyl syringate.  
     
     
         27 . The method of any of claims  1 - 24 , wherein the one or more chemical mediators are selected from the group consisting of N-hydroxy compound, N-oxime compound, N-oxide compound, phenoxazine compound, and phenathiazine compound.  
     
     
         28 . The method of    claim 27   , wherein the chemical mediator is N-hydroxybenzotriazole, violuric acid, N-hydroxyacetanilide, or phenathiozine- 10-propionate.  
     
     
         29 . The method of any of claims  124 , wherein the chemical mediator is 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid).  
     
     
         30 . The method of any of claims  1 - 29 , wherein the one or more chemical mediators are added to the pulp slurry in amounts of about 0.01% to about 5% of the dry weight of the pulp.  
     
     
         31 . The method of any of claims  1 - 30 , wherein the dye is one or more of the dyes selected from the group consisting of a benzidine, dianisidine, stilbene, tetrakisazo, thiazol. thiazol-azo, tolidine, and trisazo dye.  
     
     
         32 . The method of any of claims  1 - 31 , wherein the dye is a stilbene dye.  
     
     
         33 . The method of any of claims  1 - 32 , wherein the decolorizing step is conducted at a consistency above about 0.5% to about 6%.  
     
     
         34 . The method of any of claims  1 - 33 , wherein the decolorizing step is conducted at a pH of about 3 to about 10.  
     
     
         35 . The method of any of claims  1 - 34 , wherein the decolorizing step is conducted at a temperature of about 25° C. to about 80° C.  
     
     
         36 . The method of any of claims  1 - 35 , wherein the decolorizing step is conducted for about 5 minutes to about 120 minutes.  
     
     
         37 . The method of any of claims  1 - 36 , wherein the released ink is separated from the pulp slurry by flotation, water washing, centrifugal separation, screening, or any combination of the foregoing.  
     
     
         38 . The method of any of claims  1 - 37 , further comprising (f) treating the recovered pulp of step (e) with a brightening agent.  
     
     
         39 . The method of any of claims  138 , wherein the dislodging step further dislodges a coating from the pulp.  
     
     
         40 . The method of    claim 39   , wherein the separating step further removes the coating.  
     
     
         41 . A pulp obtained by the method of any of claims  1 - 40 .  
     
     
         42 . A method for producing recycled paper, comprising subjecting the pulp of    claim 41    to paper-making.