Fungi and Their Enzymes for Pitch Control in the Pulp and Paper Industry

21 páginas, 11 figuras, 5 tablas -- PAGS nros. 377-357

Pitch biocontrol was the first example where microbial biotechnology provided successful solutions to the pulp and paper sector. Triglycerides cause deposits in mechanical pulping, and both microbial and enzymatic products have been commercialized to be applied on wood and pulp, respectively. The former are based on colorless strains of sapstain fungi, and the latter are improved lipases. However, lipases are not useful when pitch originates from other lipids, such as steroids and terpenes, and the sapstain inocula are also only partially effective. In the search for stronger biocatalysts to degrade recalcitrant lipids, the potential of white-rot fungi and their enzymes has been demonstrated. When inocula of these fungi are used, wood treatment must be controlled to avoid cellulose degradation. However, the selectivity of the laccase-mediator system permits its integration as an additional bleaching stage providing a double benefit: pitch biocontrol and removal of residual lignin in chlorine-free pulp bleaching.

This work was supported by the Spanish projects AGL2008-00709 and BIO2008-01533 and by the BIORENEW project of the European Union (contract NMP2-CT-2006-026456)

Peer reviewed