The biotechnological control of pitch in paper pulp manufacturing.
At present, microbial and enzymatic preparations for the control of triglyceride-containing pitch deposits during the manufacture of mechanical and sulfite paper is commercially available. However, biotechnological products for pitch control in other pulping processes, such as alkaline pulping, are under development. These products include new fungi for the removal of steroids involved in pitch deposit formation in chlorine-free pulps, to be used as a biological pretreatment of wood before pulping. Simultaneously, tailor-made enzymes are being produced using protein-engineering techniques, enabling the specific removal of pitch contaminant compounds from paper pulp.
Gutiérrez
A
A
Instituto de Recursos Naturales y Agrobiología, Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas, PO Box 1052, E-41080 Seville, Spain. anagu@irnase.csic.es
del Río
J C
JC
Martínez
M J
MJ
Martínez
A T
AT
D001709:Biotechnology / Q000639:trends*; D008401:Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry; D007220:Industrial Waste; D008956:Models, Chemical; D008958:Models, Molecular; D010209:Paper; D013997:Time Factors; D014197:Trees
D007220:Industrial Waste