Nozomi Kanayama*, Tohru Suzuki** and Keiichi Kawai**

* Daifukuseishi Co. Ltd.
** Department of Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Gifu University

+ Corespondence should be addressed to Nozomi Kanayama:
(Maeno422, Mino, Gifu 501-3716 Japan)

Abstract

Cooking and bleaching conditions of chemical pulp are mainly high alkaline. We screened for microorganism producing alkaline lignin-degrading enzymes using the alkaline cooking of Manila hemp as a medium. One fungus screened was identified as Aspergillus terreus. This fungus secretes alkaline lignin-degrading enzymes (lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, phenol oxidase) into the medium. This fungus and its enzymes may be useful for the treatments of alkaline black liquor or bleaching waste and biobleaching of pulp.

Key words: black liquor, Aspergillus terreus, lignin peroxidase, manganese peroxidase, phenol oxidase