Abstract
In China, fiber supply lags behind the growing demand for paper and paperboard products. The increasing consumption of paper products necessitated the need for new fiber sources. The red alga Gracilariopsis lemaneiformis is economically cultivated on a large scale in China for industrial agar extraction. During the extraction processes, considerable amounts of solid residues are produced as extraction wastes. In this study, we explored the potential of using the agar extraction residues as raw materials for pulping and papermaking. The results show that the extraction wastes of G. lemaneiformis could indeed be utilized for papermaking. Evaluation of the paper handsheets showed that a higher content of algal material resulted in paper that had lower strength and permeability but higher waterproof and greaseproof characteristics, as well as better antimicrobial effects. The results indicated that alga extraction residues could be employed as functional fillers to produce paper products that are potentially useful in the food-packaging industry.
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