Impact Assessment of Chemical Dose Variations on Projected Soda and Kraft Pulping of Ananas comosus Crown Waste

Excessive deforestation caused by the demand for wood as a primary raw material in papermaking has a direct and detrimental impact on the environment. Therefore, it is crucial to explore alternative natural resources for paper production. Global surveys indicate that the juice manufacturing industry generates a substantial amount of waste, posing significant challenges for waste management. A recent investigation has revealed that pineapple (Ananas comosus) crown waste (PCW) could serve as a viable source of fibrous raw material. Findings demonstrated that PCW contains approximately 74% holocellulose (cellulose + hemicelluloses), comparable to rice straw and hardwood However, PCW has a lower lignin content of 15% compared to the 25.7% found in hardwood. The process of pulping PCW requires a lower chemical demand compared to wheat straw for the production of similar kappa pulp. When using a 15% chemical dose, high-strength paper made from soda pulp was achieved. Beyond this dose, the paper’s strength decreased. However, in the kraft process, the strength increased up to a 20% chemical dose. The tear index of PCW pulp-based paper was 64% higher than that of wheat straw pulp in the soda pulp process and 60% higher in the kraft pulp process. Similarly, the burst index of PCW pulp-based paper was approximately 76% and 72% higher than soda and kraft wheat straw pulp, respectively. Therefore, the utilization of PCW not only resolves issues related to industrial waste management but also mitigates the raw material crisis faced by the papermaking industry.