Abstract: A method for producing pulp, comprising digesting lignocellulosic wood, containing one or more xylan derivatives selected from the group consisting of xylan bound with lignin, xylan bound with hexenuronic acid, and mixtures thereof, with an aqueous alkaline pulping solution containing sulfide and having an initial free hydroxyl ion concentration of at least 1 mole per liter, under conditions whereunder xylan is dissociated from said one or more xylan derivatives and the pH of the solution remains above 12.5; and then while the pH of said solution is above 12.5, adding a sufficient amount of an acidic agent to said pulping solution to precipitate dissociated xylan from said pulping solution while minimizing precipitation of lignin from said pulping solution. Carbon dioxide is a preferred acidic agent.

Abstract: Disclosed is a process for preparing an improved sugar product comprising (a) providing a raw sugar solution having color of 50 to 1,000 Icumsa units and a concentration of 10 to 70 Brix; (b)(1) injecting ozone into the raw sugar solution while imparting agitation to the solution effective to reduce the size of said color-imparting particles into smaller particles, and then (b)(2) discontinuing said injection, but continuing said agitation for a period of time in excess of the duration of step (b)(1), wherein said smaller particles react with ozone, and (c) optionally repeating steps (b)(1) and (b)(2) at least once, wherein the solution is at no point subjected to a precipitation or carbonation step.

Abstract: An aqueous stream such as pulp mill condensate containing one or more sulfur compounds is treated by (a) reacting an aqueous feed stream containing TRS contaminant selected from the group consisting of hydrogen sulfide, methyl mercaptan, dimethyl sulfide, dimethyl disulfide, and mixtures thereof, with ozone to produce a first liquid product stream and a first gaseous product stream, wherein the total amount of said one or more contaminants in said first liquid product stream is less than 1% of the amount thereof in said feed stream, and wherein said first gaseous product stream contains ozone and one or more of said contaminants; and (b) treating said first gaseous product stream with an alkaline aqueous stream to remove essentially all of said one or more contaminants from said first gaseous product stream. Preferably, a second gaseous stream produced in step (b) and containing ozone is reacted with an aqueous stream containing one or more of said contaminants, to consume all the ozone in said stream.