Bio-conventional bleaching of kadam kraft-AQ pulp by thermo-alkali-tolerant xylanases from two strains of Coprinellus disseminatus for extenuating adsorbable organic halides and improving strength with optical properties and energy conservation.

Two novel thermo-alkali-tolerant crude xylanases namely MLK-01 (enzyme-A) and MLK-07 (enzyme-B) from Coprinellus disseminatus mitigated kappa numbers of Anthocephalus cadamba kraft-AQ pulps by 32.5 and 34.38%, improved brightness by 1.5 and 1.6% and viscosity by 5.75 and 6.47% after (A)XE(1) and (B)XE(1)-stages, respectively. The release of reducing sugars and chromophores was the highest during prebleaching of A. cadamba kraft-AQ pulp at enzyme doses of 5 and 10 IU/g, reaction times 90 and 120 min, reaction temperatures 75 and 65°C and consistency 10% for MLK-01 and MLK-07, respectively. MLK-07 was more efficient than MLK01 in terms of producing pulp brightness, improving mechanical strength properties and reducing pollution load. MLK-01 and MLK-07 reduced AOX by 19.51 and 42.77%, respectively at 4% chlorine demands with an increase in COD and colour due to removal of lignin carbohydrates complexes. A. cadamba kraft-AQ pulps treated with xylanases from MLK-01 to MLK-07 and followed by CEHH bleaching at half chlorine demand (2%) showed a drastic reduction in brightness with slight improvement in mechanical strength properties compared to pulp bleached at 4% chlorine demand. MLK-01 reduced AOX, COD and colour by 43.83, 39.03 and 27.71% and MLK-07 by 38.34, 40.48 and 30.77%, respectively at half chlorine demand compared to full chlorine demand (4%). pH variation during prebleaching of A. cadamba kraft-AQ pulps with strains MLK-01 and MLK-07 followed by CEHH bleaching sequences showed a decrease in pulp brightness, AOX, COD and colour with an increase in mechanical strength properties, pulp viscosity and PFI revolutions to get a beating level of 35 ± 1 °SR at full chlorine demand.