Phenolic constituents in pulp mill process streams

Abstract

Concentrations and identities of phenols in seven in-plant process streams at a bleached kraft pulp mill were determined. Phenols were analyzed by a method involving absorption on Amberlite XAD-2 resign at pH 2, liquid-liquid partitioning and electron capture gas chromatography of their heptafluorobutyrates. Results were compared with those obtained by the standard 4-aminoantipyrene method. Total concentrations of phenols ranged from a low of 0.05–0.45 mg/l in the acid sewer to a high of 5.1–11 mg/l in sewered condensates. Guaiacol was present in sewered condensates in concentrations up to 5 mg/l, the highest for any individual phenol. Guaiacol, vanillin and 4-hydroxy-3-methoxyacetophenone were major phenols in unbleaced whitewater, and 3,4,5-trichloguaiacol, tetrachloroguaiacol and 4,5-dichloroguaiacol were major phenols in the caustic sewer.