Papiertechnische Stiftung

The absolute dating of documents is still one of the most important challenges for forensic document examiners (FDE). The potential difference between the date on a questioned document and the actual year of production of the used paper can be only 1 to 5years. Until now, there was no analytical method with this accuracy available. This study demonstrates a method for an absolute dating of paper by using the 14 C bomb peak and dating the starch in the paper. Accelerator mass spectroscopy (AMS) radiocarbon measurements were performed on starch extracts and cellulose fibers from 50 paper samples with known production year from 1950 to 2018. For most of the paper samples, the measured 14 C concentration values in the starch extracts were highly correlated with the data of the 14 C bomb peak calibration curve. The differences between the calibrated ages and the actual harvest years of the starch-containing plants were only up to 3years. The 14 C concentration in the paper fibers showed a lower but significant correlation with the production year of the papers and can be used to support the dating results of the starch extracts. In order to secure the accuracy of the dating, aside from the radiocarbon measurements of the extracted starch other analytical methods or data are used, like a detailed chemical analysis of the paper composition including fiber composition and the spectroscopic analysis of the purity of the starch extracts. In practice, only starch extracts without contaminations are used for the paper dating.

The Cover Feature illustrates the complex interconnections and feedback between different groups of parameters during the development of novel graphite paper electrode materials. The featured study shows, in depth, the development of mechanically stable, low resistivity, and good bioelectrochemical performing bioanodes. More information can be found in the Article by D. Y. Alvarez Esquivel et al. on page 1851 in Issue 8, 2020 (DOI: 10.1002/celc.201902087).

ABSTRACTIn a case study to assess the possibilities and limitations of determining the exact age of paper, we measured radiocarbon (14C) concentrations in bulk-paper cellulose and starch extracts from 20 known-age paper samples of the last 65 yr. As expected, 14C concentrations in single-seasonal grown starch extracts are in reasonably good agreement with post-bomb atmospheric 14C. In contrast, 14C concentrations in bulk-paper cellulose indicate apparent admixtures of tree-ring fibers spanning up to >50 yr. In a forensic investigation, combining 14C results from single-seasonal components like starch with those from long-lived fibers, could potentially enhance the precision of paper production-date estimates for samples made after 1955.

Abstract Photoresponsive pulp fibers are prepared by self‐assembly of photoactive cationic cellulose derivatives with pulp fibers in aqueous environment. Photoactive groups of the derivatives undergo 2π + 2π cycloaddition reaction under UV‐light irradiation. Fast photocrosslinking leads to the formation of the covalent bonds between the photoactive groups on the fiber surfaces. This results in drastic enhancement of the mechanical properties of the fiber network. Tensile strength and Z‐directional tensile strength increase by 81 and 84% compared to the original fiber network. Stiffness of the individual fibers increases by 60%. Such concept of controlling mechanical properties of the fiber materials by the light gives a possibility to design smart bio‐based materials and to increase end value of the fiber products.

A newly developed fine bubble aeration system, by which air is transferred under supercavitation conditions, shows a clearly better performance than traditional, well-known aerators that rely on the jet-pump principle and its performance can be compared to oxygen transfer rates achieved in membrane and foil plate aerators. A prototype supercavitation aerator installed at a sewage treatment plant revealed an air input rate, which was about one third lower than that of the jet-pump system, which it replaced. In spite of this low air input rate, the daily demand of pure oxygen for the additionally installed membrane aeration system went down by approximately 49%, from the original level of about 1,200 m(3)/day to about 600 m(3)/day-and this over a test period of more than 7 months. The observed high oxygen transfer rates cannot be explained by traditional mass transfer mechanisms. It is assumed that a large amount of water being transferred into the gas phase by supercavitation contacting directly oxygen also in the gas phase and thereby overcoming mass transfer hindrances which might be favoured by hydroxyl radicals. With this new aerator, during the first 3 months of test phase, already more than 10,000 Euros had been saved because of the reduced pure oxygen demand.

TMP (thermo-mechanical pulps) and CTMP (chemo-thermo-mechanical pulps) were made from pine wood and recycling MDF, which has been prepared from pine wood too. The fibres were tested for their wettability using the method developed by Roffael et al (2002). The results reveal that TMP are much less wettable in comparison to CTMP from the same wood. Moreover, fibres made from UF-bonded MDF by the TMP- and CTMP-process are of much higher wettability compared to TMP and CTMP prepared directly from wood. No significant difference in the wettability between TMP and CTMP from UF-bonded MDF was detected. This behaviour has been attributed to the fact that the UF-resin in MDF degrades during thermohydrolytic pulping leading to the formation of ammonia and free urea. Therefore, pulping of UF-bonded boards takes place under chemo-thermo-mechanical conditions (CTMP).

Lab. Acoustics and Thermophysics, Catholic Univ. Leuven, Belgium (On leave from INCDTIM,CP 700, 3400 Cluj-Napoca 5, Romania), Ruhr-Univ. Bochum, Germany, Inst. for Optics and Quantum Electrocnics, Jena, Germany, Univ. Halle, Germany, UFR Sciences, Reims, France, WURC Univ. Wageningen, The Netherlands, JATE Univ. Szeged, Hungary, Papiertechnische Stiftung, Muenchen, Germany, Hueck Folien GmbH, Germany, Univ. Tor Vergata, Rome, Italy

As opposed to effluents from chemical pulp production, very little is known about the endocrine potential of papermaking effluents. To evaluate the endocrine potential of biologically treated effluents from the main grades produced in Germany (fine, graphic and packaging papers), 16 samples were studied by means of the Recombinant Yeast Estrogen Assay (R-YEA). 10 samples were tested positive; seven of them were effluents from recovered paper processing mills. Possible sources of endocrine disruptors in addition to wood components include papermaking chemicals, paper converting chemicals, if recovered paper is used, and/or detrimental substances introduced by impurities in these chemicals. Six of the above samples were subjected to individual substance analyses to detect endocrinologically active or potentially endocrinologically active substances. Even though phthalate compounds were detected in concentrations between 0.46 and 2.36 microg/L, only two of the six samples were tested positive in the R-YEA, because the test fails to adequately detect this compound's class. Despite this drawback, the R-YEA will be used for further studies because of the great variety of potential endocrine substances present in paper mill effluents. In particular, mechanical and recycled fibre pulps as well as the constituents of chemical additives must be investigated in more detail.