Analyze Metals with Low Detection Levels

Purpose

Analyzing metals with low detection levels is an essential part of RISE's expertise and service offerings. By employing advanced techniques and instrumentation, RISE can detect and quantify metals even at very low concentrations. This capability is crucial across various industries and applications, including the forestry sector where metals may occur as contaminants or additives in different materials and processes.

In the forestry industry, metals are often present in various materials and processes. For example, metals may be used as additives in chemical treatments for wood or as catalysts in various processes. At the same time, metals can also occur as unwanted contaminants in raw materials or as deposits on equipment and machinery. Being able to detect and quantify these metals at low levels is therefore essential to ensure product quality, process stability, and environmental protection within the forestry industry.

RISE's specialization in analyzing samples from the forestry industry, such as solid samples (chips, pulp) and liquid samples (e.g., black liquor), enables the performance of metal analyses with high precision and reliability. By utilizing methods with low detection limits, RISE can identify and quantify metals in samples from various forestry processes. This not only involves detecting the presence of metals but also assessing their concentrations and potential effects on processes and products.

Manganese is a metal that can have significant effects on various processes within the pulp and paper industry. It is known that manganese can cause the breakdown of peroxide, which in turn can lead to impaired bleaching of the pulp. This may require higher doses of peroxide to achieve the desired bleaching result, resulting in increased costs for the bleaching process. To effectively manage and optimize the bleaching process, it is therefore crucial to be able to monitor and control the manganese content in the pulp after each bleaching stage. By having precise knowledge of the manganese content, actions can be taken to reduce its negative impact on bleaching and thus reduce the costs of the bleaching process.

On the evaporation side of the process, it is also crucial to monitor the calcium content, both free and total. Calcium has the potential to cause problems such as scaling and precipitation along with other substances. By knowing the calcium content, these problems in the process can be prevented or rectified to ensure smooth and efficient operation.

Analyzing all streams in the recycling process is also of great importance. This includes examining the levels of various metals and their presence in different parts of the recycling cycle. By analyzing the metal content in the recycling streams, valuable information can be obtained about any unwanted contaminants or imbalances in the process, which can help optimize the recycling process and improve product quality.

When new wood chips or wood from different procurement areas are brought into the mill, it is also important to examine the metal levels. This is particularly relevant if the metal levels in the new wood chips are high or if there is a risk that they may negatively affect the process. By understanding the metal levels in the new material, actions can be taken in advance to avoid problems and ensure smooth and efficient operation.

Sometimes we face assignments that require pure problem-solving efforts. In these situations, it is often necessary to address complex and challenging problems that may seem unsolvable at first glance. To tackle such problems, we use a combination of various analytical methods and our extensive experience with similar problems that have arisen in the past.

By integrating and combining different analytical tools and techniques such as inductively coupled plasma (ICP), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and light microscopy, we can gain a broader and deeper understanding of the nature of the problem and its underlying causes. Each method has its unique advantages and provides specific insights that together can illuminate different aspects of the problem.

Regarding analyses with ICP, sample preparation is crucial for accurate analysis results. Since the samples we receive for metal analysis can be both solid, such as chips and pulp, or in liquid form but with a complicated composition like black liquor, it is important to know how to properly prepare the samples before analysis. An advantage of ICP is that it is both fast and capable of detecting low levels.

Methods, Instruments and Expertise

The ICP instrument used is an iCAP 7400 ICP-OES, manufactured by Thermo Scientific. ICP stands for Inductively Coupled Plasma, and OES stands for Optical Emission Spectrometry. It is an advanced and high-performance instrument platform specifically designed to perform rapid and accurate analyses of trace elements and heavy metals in various types of samples.

By utilizing this instrument, researchers and analysts can conduct a variety of analyses within the materials and process industries with high precision and reliability.

Expertise:

RISE possesses significant expertise in Inductively Coupled Plasma (ICP) and the handling of samples from industrial processes. This expertise has been built over decades of experience and specialization in the field of chemical analysis and material characterization.

Through extensive experience in handling and analyzing samples from the forestry industry, pulp and paper industry, chemical industry, and other sectors, they have developed a deep understanding of the unique challenges and requirements faced by these industries. They are well-versed in sample preparation, optimization of analytical methods, and interpretation of results to extract meaningful information about the properties and composition of materials.

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