Strange pigmented things in Subway napkin

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the observation of colored dots on a Subway napkin viewed under a USB microscope. Participants explore the potential sources and explanations for the various colors observed, considering the napkin's description of being made from recycled fiber.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory, Technical explanation, Debate/contested

Main Points Raised

  • One participant suggests that the colored dots could be recycled polymer fibers.
  • Another participant notes that similar colored bits can be seen in unbleached recycled paper, attributing them to remnants of colored paper that were not affected by bleaching agents.
  • A question is raised about the abundance of colored spots if the napkin is made from recycled paper, prompting a discussion on the volume of colored paper being recycled.
  • One participant proposes that the colors might originate from recycled magazines, where colorfast glossy fragments could survive the recycling process and remain attached to the fibers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants present multiple competing views regarding the source of the colored dots, and the discussion remains unresolved with no consensus reached.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty about the specific types of materials contributing to the observed colors and the implications of the recycling process on the napkin's composition.

papernuke
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So I was playing with a USB microscope at my desk, and I just viewed a Subway napkin with it. Attached is the picture I saw at ~75x magnification

There's dots of all sorts of colors.. yellow, light blue, green, red.. even pink.
Does anyone know what the colored dots might be?

There's a description on the napkin saying "contains 100% recycled fiber."
 

Attachments

  • rsz_20121006_0004.jpg
    rsz_20121006_0004.jpg
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could be recycled polymer fibers.
 
I can see this type of thing barely in my rough notebook, made out of unbleached recycled paper.

These coloured bits and pieces are just remnants of recycled paper unaffected by the bleaching agents, which turns them white.
 
If they're recycled paper, why are there so many colored spots? Is there really that much colored paper being recycled?
 
They are probably recycled magazines, with colourfast glossy picture fragments that would certainly survive bleaching if any, and remain attached to the fibres in the recycling process.
 

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