Cornelia Gradinger

Examination of spruce wood biodegraded by Ceriporiopsis subvermispora using near and mid infrared spectroscopy

The wood colonising white-rot basidiomycete Ceriporiopsis subvermispora is able to degrade lignin in preference to cellulose. To differentiate between fungal strains and to estimate their delignification behaviour, both in an early stage of degradation and over a specific period, is important for the wood industry. Mid infrared (MIR) and near infrared (NIR) spectra were taken from 60 milled spruce wood samples and their total lignin content was determined by wet laboratory methods. Good correlations were found between the MIR band–height ratio (H1510 cm−1 / H897 cm−1) and the lignin content (r = 0.965) and between the NIR band height at 5978 cm−1 (1673 nm) taken from spectra in the second derivative mode and the lignin content (r = 0.956). Furthermore, good linear correlations between the band–height ratios calculated from the MIR spectra and the amplitudes of the band around 5978 cm−1 (1673 nm) of NIR spectra in the second derivative mode were found for the calibration samples (r = 0.934) and for the fungal-treated samples (r = 0.984). The good correlation found between the MIR band–height ratio and the band height from NIR spectra in the second derivative mode could be interesting if calibrations exist for MIR (or NIR) to predict samples measured in the NIR (or MIR). MIR and NIR spectra recorded from milled spruce wood shavings that had been subjected to fungal treatment with three strains of Ceriporiopsis subvermispora (CBS 347.63, FPL 90.031 and FPL 105.752), for a period of up to 14 days, were investigated to see if these spectroscopic techniques could replace chemical methods. It is shown that the relative degree of delignification can be obtained directly from NIR spectra in the second derivative mode measuring the amplitude of a distinct band and from MIR spectra normalised with respect to the band at 897 cm−1. Subjecting the spectra to principal component analysis (PCA) made it possible to study the time course along a PC axis. The use of an appropriate NIR wavenumber range subjected to PCA led to a scores plot that made it possible to differentiate between the three strains of C. subvermispora along one axis. It was also possible to give a time course and an indication of the relative degree of delignification along the second axis. In both cases, 99% of the data variance was explained with the first two PCs. A similar time course was obtained from MIR spectra, but the strains could not be separated well. Besides strain differentiation and examination of delignification, some practical applications (for example, in the pulp and paper industries, fungi-screening, evaluation of wood preservatives) are discussed. The results clearly demonstrate that it is possible to compare and differentiate between the strains without applying time-consuming chemical methods. The examination of NIR spectra is sufficient.

Fungal decay of spruce and beech wood assessed by near-infrared spectroscopy in combination with uni- and multivariate data analysis

Abstract Wood is colonised and degraded by a variety of micro-organisms, the most efficient ones are wood-rotting basidiomycetes. Microbial decay processes cause damage to wooden constructions, but also have great potential as biotechnological tools to change the properties of wood surfaces and of sound wood. Standard methods to evaluate changes in infected wood, e.g., EN350-1 1994, are time-consuming. Rapid FT-NIR spectroscopic methods are also suitable for this purpose. In this paper, degradation experiments on surfaces of spruce (Picea abies L. Karst) and beech (Fagus silvatica L.) were carried out with white rot basidiomycetes or the ascomycete Hypoxylon fragiforme. Experiments with brown rot or soft rot caused by Chaetomium globosum were also performed. FT-NIR spectra collected from the degraded wood were subjected to principal component analysis. The lignin content and mass loss of the specimens were estimated based on univariate or multivariate data analysis (partial least squares regression).

Fungal pretreatment of pine wood to reduce the emission of volatile organic compounds

Abstract Sterilized pine wood strands were treated with the ascomycete Ophiostoma piliferum (Cartapip 97™) in an attempt to reduce aldehyde emissions through degradation of aldehyde-forming precursors. Wooden boards were then produced from the treated strands by means of a laboratory press. VOC emissions of these boards were characterized and the concentrations of seven major substances were followed for a period of 28 days in Markes μ-CTE micro-chambers employing Tenax-TDAS/GC/MS analytics. Boards made from treated strands showed a highly significant (P<0.001) reduction in aldehyde emissions by 70% compared to the control boards, while differences in the monoterpene emissions were not significant (P>0.05). Wood extractives from treated and untreated strands were also analyzed by GC/MS after milling and acetone/water extraction. A marked decrease of C18 unsaturated fatty acids was detected in agreement with the reduction of aldehyde emissions, and the monosaccharides as indicators of fungal growth were depleted and stilbenes and lignans were partially degraded.

Influence of beech wood quality on bisulfite dissolving pulp manufacture. Part 1: Influence of log storage on pulping and bleaching

Abstract The present study investigated different log storage conditions and their influence on the processability of the wood material in pulping and bleaching. For that purpose, logs were stored for about 15 months under dry and wet conditions. Besides a detailed chemical, physical and microbial characterization of the wood, cooking trials according to the standard magnesium acid bisulfite process and bleaching experiments at various conditions using a (E/O)-Z-P-sequence were performed. The dependency of pulp yield, delignification efficiency, the course of cellulose depolymerization and brightness on the different storage conditions was evaluated. Bleaching selectivity was comparable for pulps made from fresh and wet-stored wood. In the case of pulp made from dry-stored wood, between 60% and 300% more bleaching chemicals, expressed as OXE, were necessary to obtain the target brightness. Milled wood lignin was isolated from the beech wood samples to study possible structural changes attributable to different storage conditions. Permanganate oxidation was applied to investigate the most important lignin structures. Additionally, preliminary NMR studies were performed to gain supplementary information about the composition of the lignin moieties. UV microspectrophotometry in agreement with absorption difference spectra strongly suggests that the chromophore structures present in both unbleached and bleached pulp samples predominantly originate from polyphenolic compounds, which are attached to the cell wall and are deposited in the lumina of parenchyma cells. From the results obtained so far, it can be concluded that wet storage of beech wood logs efficiently prevents the formation of chromophore compounds which negatively affect acid bisulfite pulping.

Biological control of sapstain fungi: From laboratory experiments to field trials 10th EWLP, Stockholm, Sweden, August 25–28, 2008

Abstract Sapstain fungi, which reduce the value of pine wood, were isolated from an industrial wood yard in north-eastern Germany. The predominant wood discolouring species on the industrial wood yard and in the forests of the investigated region was Sphaeropsis sapinea (syn. Diplodia pinea), but Ophiostoma minus was also found. These fungi were challenged with antagonistic micro-organisms in laboratory trials and in field experiments. Amongst the tested microorganisms only strains of filamentous fungi (Trichoderma sp. and Phlebiopsis gigantea) could control the sapstain fungi on pine wood blocks efficiently. Although P. gigantea was unable to inhibit stain formation completely, the wood was bleached by this fungus in later incubation stages. In two field trials, sapstain on pine wood logs was successfully retarded for a period of 10 and 12 weeks, respectively, with a white sporulating mutant of Trichoderma harzianum. Thus, the concept using filamentous fungi as antagonists against sapstain developed under laboratory conditions also proved to be valid under natural conditions in forest eco-systems.