Biotechnology in Pulp and Paper Manufacture, 1993 China Paper Conference Proceedings

H-m. Chang, T. K. Kirk, A. M. Stomp

Biotechnology can be traced back to early civilization when fermentation technologies for beverages and food have long been important. Biotechnology is not new for the pulp and paper industry; aerobic and anaerobic treatment of waste effluents and fermentation of sulfite spent liquor have been practiced for years. However, the recent surge in the development of

biotechnology in other fields has greatly stimulated its applications in the pulp and paper manufacturing processes. Aided by the desire to have a more environmentally benign and/or cost effective manufacturing process, the pulp and paper industry finds itself besieged by a host of new developments during the past few years. While many are still in the research and development stage, several new applications have found their way into the mill in an unprecedentedly short period of time. In addition, some of these new developments in biotechnology, if successful, could have a profound impact on the future technology of the pulp and paper manufacturing processes.

This paper reviews the current status and future perspectives of those new developments in biotechnology for the pulp and paper industry. This paper will not be an inclusive literature review but will highlight recent work that demonstrates the diversity of the potential applications and/or may have a long lasting impact on the future of the pulp and paper industry. We shall also attempt to point out those new developments that are especially pertinent for applications in China. The paper will cover three main areas: the lignin-degrading system of fungi and its uses, the polysaccharide-degrading systems and their applications, and biotechnology using other systems.