b'combination with the basis weightenzymes, and some of the celluloseThis can result in significant swingsProperly are important to understanding thein the fibre is hydrolyzed. Thisin product quality, runnability andapplied economics of paperboard production. biochemical treatment reduces theproduction as operators respond toenzymes amount of mechanical treatmentshifts in fibre property reactively. can enhance USE OF ENZYMES IN THE PAPER INDUSTRYneeded to reach the desired fibrefibre Development of biotechnology for theproperties. Less mechanical actionIn the last few years, we havestrength, pulp and paper industry has beenand less energy are required. Sincefocused on developing new screeningreduce studied for more than two decades.refining requires significant energytechniques that can provide a greaterrefining time Twenty years ago, knowledge aboutinput, as well as capital investmentunderstanding of how specificand increase enzyme mechanisms for differentfor equipment, facilitating the refiningenzymes interact with the differentinterfibre applications was very limited; also,process provides numerous benefits,cellulosic fibres and can acceleratebonding production of the appropriate enzymesincluding stronger paper, elimination ofthe product development phase.Thisthough on a commercial scale was veryother chemical additives and reducednovel characterisation techniquefibrillation.costly. It is only within recent yearsenergy usage. provides a better understanding that we have been able to produceof what types of cellulose and enzymes that have acceptable costsProperly applied enzymes can enhancehemicellulose are present on the and to achieve a more in-depthfibre strength, reduce refining timesurface of the fibre. This information, understanding of how enzymes workand increase interfibre bonding thoughcombined with the known activities in the degradation of wood and woodfibrillation. The main challenge in usingof the enzymes, is critical to enzyme components. enzymes to enhance fibre bonding isselection. This new technique has to increase fibrillation. Enzymes usedalso sped product development efforts The attractiveness of biotechnologyto modify the fibre do on a molecularresulting in new a product that proved lies in its potential to increaselevel what mechanical refining does onvery effective for unbleached Kraft specificity in reactions, to provide morea macro level. These enzymes breakfibres. environmentally-friendly processes,bonds in the cellulose chain, thus to save energy, and by virtue of theweakening the surface of the fibre andBy utilising this new technology that foregoing, to decrease cost. The rawresulting in the same effects, collapsecombines carbohydrate binding material in forest-based industriesand fibrillation, that mechanicalmodules with fluorescence protein is wood and its components. Thus,refining does. labels, it becomes possible to extract the possibilities for employinginformation regarding the relative biotechnology in these industries areFIBERLYTICS: NOVEL CHARACTERISATIONabundance of crystalline cellulose, numerous, as one of natures mostTECHNIQUE amorphous cellulose, xylan and important biological processes is theThe fibres physical and surfacemannan at the fibre surface (Hebert-degradation of lignocellulose materials. properties vary based upon the speciesOuellet et al. 2017). of the fibre present, the way the fibre ENZYMES FOR FIBRE MODIFICATION was prepared and even the growingUtilising this fibre surface Wood fibres are mainly composed ofconditions and location of the originalcharacterisation method in the cellulose and hemicellulose microfibrilstree. Currently there are few ways todevelopment phase, it has become encrusted in lignin-carbohydrateunderstand the variability in fibre andpossible to select the ratio of enzyme matrices. They are multilayeredhow to mitigate the process variationactivities to best match the ratio of the structures that can have internalthis introduces. In essence, customerssubstrate.In matching the activity delamination and external fibrillationare unable to independently validateprofile to the substrate profile of the after chemical and/or mechanicalthe quality of the incoming fibre,fibre itself, it was possible to shortlist processing. meaning that the fibre they use todaythe product that was predicted to have may not be similar to the fibre theythe best impact on the final process in Wood pulp can be treated withused yesterday or the day before that. a short period of time.WORLD PULP&PAPER 17'