Deinking of electrostatic wastepaper with cellulolytic enzymes and surfactant in neutral pH

Enzymatic deinking method can avoids the alkaline environment as usual required in chemical deinking, which consequently cuts chemical costs and reduced the white water pollution. The electrostatic wastepaper was dinked with commercial cellulolytic enzymes and surfactant in neutral pH and the effectiveness of deinking and the physical properties of deinked pulp were evaluated. The disintegrating efficiency of the electrostatic wastepaper in neutral pH was enhanced with enzyme treatments. Although the freeness of deinked pulp with enzymes was higher than that of deinked pulp with chemical deinking agents, the brightness of the enzymatic deinked pulp was slightly lower than that of the chemical deinked pulp. But, by additions of nonionic surfactants, the brightness of deinked pulp was increased with less residual ink particles and mechanical properties of enzymatic deinked pulp was improved compared to the deinked pulp of conventional alkaline method.