Rapid triglyceride assay for use in pulp pitch control

Abstract

Enzymatic methods are provided for determining the surface triglycerides content in a sample of wood pulp. The methods preferably comprise reacting triglycerides which are present on the surface of the wood pulp fibers in the sample in the presence of a lipase to form glycerol and fatty acids, and then determining the difference between the amount of free glycerol present in the sample and the amount of glycerol formed from said triglycerides. The method is useful as a quick, portable, accurate, and low cost assay for assessing the amount of triglycerides present at various sample points in pulp and paper mills, which advantageously serves as a diagnostic tool for use in controlling the undesirable deposition of pitch during the papermaking process.

1 - 61 . (canceled)  
   
   
       62 . A device for assaying for depositable triglycerides in a wood pulp sample obtained from a sample point in a pulp and paper mill comprising: a reaction vessel, a sampling means for withdrawing a wood pulp sample, comprising pulp fibers suspended in an aqueous solution, from the sample point into the reaction vessel, a reagent supply means for selectively adding assay reagents to a wood pulp sample in the reaction vessel to initiate an enzymatic reaction sequence which produces a quantity of a measurable chemical species, and a measuring device for measuring the quantity of the measurable species in the aqueous solution and for determining from said measured quantity a value corresponding to the amount of depositable triglycerides in the wood pulp sample.  
   
   
       63 . The device of  claim 62 , further comprising a separator means for separating the pulp fibers from the aqueous solution containing the measurable chemical species before the measuring device measures the quantity of the measurable species in the aqueous solution.  
   
   
       64 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein the separator means comprises a filtration unit, a centrifuge, or both.  
   
   
       65 . The device of  claim 62 , wherein the measuring device comprises a spectrophotometer or an electrode assembly.  
   
   
       66 . The device of  claim 62 , further comprising a microprocessor controller for operating the device on-line.  
   
   
       67 . The device of  claim 62 , further comprising a means for displaying or recording said value corresponding to the amount of depositable triglycerides.  
   
   
       68 . The device of  claim 62  operably linked to at least one pitch control measure.  
   
   
       69 . A device using a non-colorimetric method to determine the depositable triglyceride content in a wood pulp sample, the method selected from the group consisting of non-colorimetric methods employing tests based on turbidities, titrations, impacts of electrical current arrays, and spectroscopic methods.