Fungal treatment of mechanical pulps-its effect on paper properties

Refiner mechanical pulp was biologically treated with several higher fungi in order to test their potential for increasing the strength of paper. It was among the white-rot fungi that the best results were obtained. Polyporus versicolor gave the best overall improvement in handsheet properties with no reduction in tear. The strength improvement is due to attack on lignin and to an increase in fiber flexibility as measured by water retention values and by acidic group content of the treated pulps. The brown-rot fungi had a detrimental effect on paper properties.