This text is part of the special Research section
In northern Quebec, in the boreal forest, black spruce abounds. If its dense wood is used in sawmills to produce construction materials, its bark is burned to generate energy. However, it could have a second new use.
“I work a lot on a site where there are 2.5 million tonnes of bark stored,” notes Marco Gagnon, forestry and energy advisor at the Abitibi-Ouest Community Development Aid Society (SADCAO) . In the sector, these piles are abundant in sawmill yards. They date from another era, before the mid-1980s, when Quebec regulations were less strict and the bark was not yet valued.
Mr. Gagnon estimates that Chantiers Chibougamau alone produces approximately 80,000 tonnes of black spruce bark per year. In other words, there are a lot of them, he says, and this last one contains something that could prove valuable: tannin.
“It’s a very reactive macromolecule,” explains Flavia Braghiroli, professor of forest bioproducts at the Forest Research Institute of the University of Quebec in Abitibi-Témiscamingue. Thanks to this characteristic, tannin could replace phenol. This no less reactive compound is currently used to make resins, paint, fabrics, pesticides, pharmaceuticals, plywood, insulation materials, soft drinks and much more.
Less toxic products
The problem with phenol is that it is highly toxic to humans. It can affect the central nervous system, cause liver and kidney damage, and even cause death from poisoning. If it is found in nature, it can contaminate groundwater and waterways.
As this chemical compound has no longer been produced in Canada since 1992, it is imported, especially from the United States, by industries. “We are in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, there is a whole transport of these materials to remote regions, so that’s why I find it a very interesting project,” underlines Mme Braghiroli.
The professor has just launched a three-year research program so that Quebec tannin, from the black spruce of Abitibi-Témiscamingue, arrives on the market. Its objective is first to purchase high-tech equipment in order to be able to extract this macromolecule, namely an autoclave and a spray dryer.
“It takes a whole process. We put the peels in a sort of pressure cooker, with water. There is a cooking time and, then, with the mixture, we will do a very delicate drying so as not to modify its chemical structure. At the end, we obtain a red powder,” explains the researcher. The idea is to carry out tests and find the best conditions to collect as much tannin as possible, or even develop machinery with private partners.
New partnerships
Mme Braghiroli also wants to determine how the tannin could be collected before the Resolute Forest Products company transforms it to create electrical and thermal energy in its Senneterre plant. This company is the one that buys most of the bark from the Abitibi-Témiscamingue sawmills.
“Today, the bark is sent directly to cogeneration for energy production. Are we able to produce tannin without disrupting the chain? » asks the professor.
Several private organizations — notably Cyclofor, West Fraser, Les Aciers JP, Bio Stratège and Mitacs — which perceive economic potential, invest and participate in research. They specialize in wood processing, engineering or the design of industrial equipment. SADCAO also contributes to the project and Mme Braghiroli is always looking for new deals.
An international boom
The growing global tannin market is expected to reach four billion US dollars by 2030, according to a report from Allied Market Research, a consulting and research firm.
In Brazil, M’s country of originme Braghiroli, acacia bark is even richer in tannin. Its content is around 40%, compared to only 10% for black spruce. In this vast South American state, major players have emerged and penetrated global markets. Mr. Gagnon, who inherited the Business Development component, is in contact with these organizations. “These people gave us samples of what they were doing. […] It is certain that we see these companies as partners and not as competitors. We want to collaborate with them. Black spruce is our sector, it grows here,” he says.
This content was produced by the Special Publications team at Duty, relating to marketing. The writing of the Duty did not take part.