A high efficiency bleaching method for cellulosic pulp includes: (a) providing a charge of aqueous cellulosic pulp to a bleaching vessel at a consistency of from 10% to 30% along with a peroxy bleaching agent and an alkaline agent effective to adjust pH of the charge to 9.5 to 12.5; and (b) bleaching the aqueous cellulosic pulp in the bleaching vessel while maintaining a bleaching temperature of from 110° F. (43° C.) to 135° F. (57° C.) and a pH of the charge from 9.5 to 12.5 for an extended bleaching retention time. The bleaching method is advantageously used to bleach low brightness recycle pulp, and/or as part of a multistage process with bleaching stages of lesser duration, and/or as a high peroxy efficiency, low dose bleaching process or in connection with concurrently storing and bleaching pulp.

In some embodiments, a method may include treating pulp in pulp and paper mills. The methods may include providing a peracetate oxidant solution and generating a reactive oxygen species. The peracetate solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced treatment methods of bleaching, brightening, and delignifying pulp fibers involving the use of peracetate oxidant solutions.

A process for bleaching trichome fibers individualized from a trichome source, such as a leaf and/or a stem, is disclosed. The process of bleaching degrades trichome associated protein. Further, the bleaching processes improves the color of the trichomes.

A high efficiency bleaching method for cellulosic pulp includes: (a) providing a charge of aqueous cellulosic pulp to a bleaching vessel at a consistency of from 10% to 30% along with a peroxy bleaching agent and an alkaline agent effective to adjust pH of the charge to 9.5 to 12.5; and (b) bleaching the aqueous cellulosic pulp in the bleaching vessel while maintaining a bleaching temperature of from 110 F. (43 C.) to 135 F. (57 C.) and a pH of the charge from 9.5 to 12.5 for an extended bleaching retention time. The bleaching method is advantageously used to bleach low brightness recycle pulp, and/or as part of a multistage process with bleaching stages of lesser duration, and/or as a high peroxy efficiency, low dose bleaching process or in connection with concurrently storing and bleaching pulp.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

In some embodiments, a method may include treating pulp. The method may include contacting a wood pulp with a singlet oxygen source. The method may include contacting the wood pulp with an alkaline peroxide source. The singlet oxygen source may include a peracetate oxidant solution and generating a reactive oxygen species. The peracetate oxidant solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced treatment methods of bleaching, brightening, and delignifying pulp fibers involving the use of peracetate oxidant solutions.

The present invention is directed to a method of increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers and nonwoven fabric fabrics produced by the method. In one aspect, the method includes forming a mixture of non-wood fibers and exposing the mixture to a brightening agent to produce brightened fibers. The brightening agent is oxygen gas, peracetic acid, a peroxide compound, or a combination thereof. The brightened fibers have a brightness greater than the fibers of the mixture before exposure as measured by MacBeth UV-C standard.

In some embodiments, a method may include reducing the microbial load in contaminated water of water recycle loops. These water recycling loops may include pulp and paper mills, cooling towers and water loops, evaporation ponds, feedstock processing systems and/or non-potable water systems. The methods may include providing a peracetate oxidant solution. The peracetate solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate solution may provide bleaching, sanitizing and/or disinfection of contaminated water and surfaces. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced separation of microbes from contaminated water.

In some embodiments, a method may include reducing the microbial load in contaminated water of water recycle loops. These water recycling loops may include pulp and paper mills, cooling towers and water loops, evaporation ponds, feedstock processing systems and/or non-potable water systems. The methods may include providing a peracetate oxidant solution. The peracetate solution may include peracetate anions and a peracid. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution may include a pH from about pH 10 to about pH 12. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate anions to peracid ranging from about 60:1 to about 6000:1. In some embodiments, the peracetate solution has a molar ratio of peracetate to hydrogen peroxide of greater than about 16:1. The peracetate solution may provide bleaching, sanitizing and/or disinfection of contaminated water and surfaces. The peracetate oxidant solution may provide enhanced separation of microbes from contaminated water.