Biological Pretreatment of Lignocellulosic Material for Biopulping: A Review

Abstract

Biopulping has the potential to improve pulp quality, paper properties and to reduce energy costs and environmental impact relative to traditional pulping approaches. The technology has focused on the white rot fungi that are known to be degrader of wood constituents. This group of fungi have complex extracellular ligninolytic enzyme systems that can selectively degrade/ alter lignin structure and allow cellulose fibres to be relatively unaffected. It colonizes either on living or dead wood and decomposes almost all plant cell wall polymers including lignin and extractives making it to be extremely potential to be used in biopulping. Biopulping reduces the chemical load in paper industry and thus partially limiting environmental threats caused by conventional pulping. It has been advised that energy savings alone could make the process economically viable. Other benefits include improved burst strength and tear indices of product and reduced pitch deposition.