Research and Development of Cotton Cellulose Production Technology

Today, the current problem one of the pressing issues facing the pulp and paper industry of the Republic of Uzbekistan is the development of an efficient technology for producing cotton cellulose from low-grade cotton linters. The use of this type of local raw material can expand the raw material base of the industry, promote the rational use of available resources, and partially address the shortage of cellulose and paper products. Particular attention in the development of modern technologies is paid to environmental protection, reduction of energy consumption, minimization of water and chemical reagent use, and improvement of the efficiency of raw material utilization. At the same time, an important task is the development and implementation of new technological processes aimed at reducing the volume and toxicity of generated wastewater, decreasing gaseous emissions, establishing closedloop water circulation systems, and enabling the recovery and reuse of chemical substances. The implementation of these approaches is of significant scientific, environmental, and practical importance for the sustainable development of the pulp and paper industry. The objects of the study included cooking liquor, spent alkali liquor, process water generated after cellulose cooking and washing, sanitary and chemical characteristics of wastewater, as well as the main quality indicators of the obtained cotton cellulose. The processes of wastewater decolorization, reduction of residual sodium hydroxide content, and changes in the pH of the medium were investigated experimentally. In addition, the main sanitary indicators of spent alkali liquor and washing water were determined, including chemical oxygen demand (COD) and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD₅), which characterize the degree of contamination of industrial wastewater.