Paper and Pulp Enzymes

Enzymes for Paper and Pulp

Enzymes which act as catalysts in various biochemical reactions prove to be very useful for paper and pulp industries also. Until the recent past using enzymes in Paper and pulp industry was considered financially and technically impractical. Enzymes a short time ago were used only for modifying starch for paper coating understandably due to the shortage in availability. But today, with the advent of better enzymes for paper & pulp, they are found to have better applicability in this sector as well. The three applications possible by latest enzyme developments are enzymatic deinking of waste paper, bleach boosting and pitch control.

Enzymes play a significant role in paper industry today. The raw material for the paper industry is wood which contains three natural polymers namely cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Lignin works as a binding entity that glues wood fibre together. This wood in the pulping process undergoes changes to form suspension of wood fibers or pulp. This pulping process can be done mechanically as well as chemically. Mechanically processed pulp become dark when exposed to sunlight while chemically obtained pulp is already dark due to residual lignin in it. Pulping process is followed by deinking of the paper.

This is the stage wherein enzymes are magnificently used to get a sound grade of paper. Using enzymes in deinking of paper gives improved pulp with less deposit potential and a brighter fine pulp. Deinking is followed by bleaching. Bleaching is chemically done by Chlorine. Chlorine forms chlorinated organic substances during bleaching that are toxic and are hazardous to the environment. So as to combat the negative effects of chlorine bleaching following a process after deinking known as bleach boosting can give paper a better finish. Bleach boosting uses enzymatic action to enhance bleach susceptibility thereby decreasing the need of chlorine at bleaching stage.

Enzymes for paper and pulp also reduce the pitch deposits significantly on chests, felts and rollers. The commercial lipase is helpful in mill operations and breaks down triglycerides in wood resin. Using enzymes neither reduces brightness nor shrinks the yield, but is an economic alternative to expensive chemicals. Enzymes for paper and pulp from Nature Bio Science are formulated with intent to foster softer and brighter end products.