White-Rot Fungal Xylanases for Applications in Pulp and Paper Industry

Abstract

Pulp and paper industry plays an important part in the economy of any nation, but it is also considered to be one of the most polluted industries, as it is one of the biggest consumers of natural resources and at the same time, discharges a large amount of harmful waste into the environment especially, water bodies. Stringent regulations have, thus, forced the pulp and paper industry to opt for environment-friendly products and processes. Microbial enzymes have provided the solution to the problem with a large number of them being applied in various sections of pulp and paper processing. Xylanases are one of the best among them, with distinct applications in different sections of pulp and paper processing including, pulping, bleaching, and even effluent treatment. White-rot fungi are considered to be the best candidates for production of xylanases for industrial purposes, with very promising results observed with white-rot fungal xylanases being applied in pulp and paper industry. The chapter explains the current status of pulp and paper industries worldwide and emphasizes the role of environment-friendly technologies for the paper industry. The contribution of microorganisms and their powerful enzyme systems in various applications of paper production has been explained and compared with the conventional processes being used in the industry. The chapter specifically discusses the role of white-rot fungi and their xylanases in paper industry, with details of significant studies carried out in the same section. Potential of white-rot fungal xylanases in future, with major bottlenecks, has also been highlighted. Thus, it provides a major insight to the use of xylanases in pulp and paper industry.