Abstract

Information about interactions among metals, hydrogen peroxide and chelating agents is needed to develop environmental technology and the operating efficiency of modern elemental chlorine free and total chlorine free bleaching processes. The work presented here focused on the properties of metal chelates and corrosion of titanium in an alkaline hydrogen peroxide solution. A comparative study between three rapid analysis methods, ICP-AES, XRF and ISE, was performed in pulp matrix and error sources of ISE were investigated in detail. Sensitive and selective GC methods for chelating agents ADA and NTA in water matrices were developed.

Decomposition of ADA (percentage of residual 71) was observed already at the hydrogen peroxide anion level of 400 mg/l in which DTPA was more persistent (percentage of residual 94). EDTA was stable even in the hydrogen peroxide anion level of 1200 mg/l, in which its percentage of residual was 94. DTPA, EDTA and ADA were more soluble in the presence of iron and manganese than in the absence of these metals. The chelation of iron appeared to be thermodynamically limited in hydrogen peroxide bleaching conditions.

Unalloyed (Grade 2) and alloyed (Grade 5) titanium corroded at the hydrogen peroxide anion level of 200 mg/l. The presence of calcium and silica inhibitors and further iron and manganese enhanced the critical hydrogen peroxide anion levels. Grade 5 was inferior to Grade 2. During rapid uniform corrosion, the potential of unalloyed titanium was under 200 mV (SHE) and lower than that of platinum.

Over 90% of manganese and many other metals could be leached into aqueous phase for ICP-AES analysis using chelation or acid hydrolysis. An XRF method for manganese, iron and copper in pulp including little or no sample treatment was developed. Measuring temperature differences and atmospheric carbon dioxide were observed to be notable error sources of the ISE technique.