Fungal bio-treatment of spruce wood with Trametes versicolor for pitch control: Influence on extractive contents, pulping process parameters, paper quality and effluent toxicity

• Published in: Bioresource technology Vol. 98; no. 2; pp. 302 - 311
• Main Authors: van Beek, Teris A., Kuster, Bram, Claassen, Frank W., Tienvieri, Taisto, Bertaud, Frédérique, Lenon, Gilles, Petit-Conil, Michel, Sierra-Alvarez, Reyes
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 2007; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: Basidiomycota - metabolism; Biodegradation; Biodegradation, Environmental; Biological and medical sciences; Biotechnology; chromatography; degradation; detoxification; Effluent toxicity; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Industrial Waste - analysis; Lipophilic wood extractives; mills; Norway spruce; Paper - standards; Picea; Picea abies; Pitch; Resins, Plant - analysis; Resins, Plant - metabolism; Time Factors; Trametes versicolor; white-rot fungi; White-rot fungus; Wood - chemistry; Wood - metabolism; Biodegradation; Pitch; Norway spruce; White-rot fungus; Effluent toxicity; Lipophilic wood extractives; Wood; Toxicity; Pulping; Coriolus versicolor; Basidiomycetes; Fungi; Norway spruce: White-rot fungus; Softwood forest tree; Gymnospermae; Wood destroying fungi; Coniferales; Spermatophyta; Picea abies; Effluent; Lipophilicity; Thallophyta
• ISSN: 0960-8524; 1873-2976
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2006.01.008

Lipophilic low molar-mass constituents in wood chips for the paper industry result in low quality pulp, pitch deposition, and effluent toxicity. New biotechnological solutions such as fungal pre-treatment of wood chips can reduce pitch problems. This laboratory-scale study focuses on the potential and limitations of a fungal bio-treatment of Norway spruce chips with the white-rot fungus Trametes versicolor. Different fungal treatment conditions were compared. A 4-week fungal treatment reduced the concentration of resin acids and triglycerides by 40% and 100%, respectively, but neither lowered the energy requirements of the TMP process nor significantly affected the morphological fiber characteristics and the physical pulp properties. The pre-treatment led to slightly poorer optical properties. The Trametes versicolor fungal treatment contributed to a less toxic effluent and improved the biodegradability. A treatment of 2–3 weeks appears optimal.