Abstract

The effect of UV irradiation on unbleached and TCF-bleached dissolving pulp samples of different provenience, a beech sulphite and an eucalyptus prehydrolysis kraft pulp, has been analyzed according to the CCOA method, evaluating the changes in the molecular weight distribution, the total number of carbonyl groups and the carbonyl group profiles of each pulp. In the case of TCF bleached material, slightly more carbonyl groups were introduced into the kraft pulp as compared to the sulfite pulp. Cellulose degradation was relatively low in both pulps.

In the case of unbleached sulfite pulps, the residual lignin had only a minor effect on the molecular weight distribution and the oxidation state of the cellulose, whereas for eucalyptus kraft pulp a pronounced introduction of carbonyl groups accompanied by severe degradation of cellulose was observed. The presence of hemicelluloses governed the photochemical behavior and the carbonyl profiles of the low molecular weight region of the cellulose.