Oxidizing enzymes in the manufacture of paper materials

Abstract

The use of fatty acid oxidizing enzymes in the manufacture of paper materials, such as paper, linerboard, corrugated paperboard, tissue, towels, corrugated containers and boxes. Examples of fatty acid oxidizing enzymes are oxygenases classified as EC 1.13.11. including any of the sub-classes thereof, such as lipoxygenase, EC 1.13.11.12. The effect of these enzymes is that the deposition of pitch is reduced, and bleaching and de-inking effects are also observed on the paper pulp and the resulting paper material. The fatty acid oxidizing enzyme can be used in combination with a substrate, with proteases, lipases, xylanases, cutinases, oxidoreductases, cellulases, endoglucanases amylases, mannanases, steryl esterases, and/or cholesterol esterases; or with surfactants and other adjuvants.

1 . A process for manufacturing a paper material, which process comprises the step of treating a papermaking pulp and/or process water with a fatty acid oxidizing enzyme.  
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising the steps of forming and drying the enzyme-treated pulp.  
     
     
         3 . The process of claims  1 , wherein the enzyme-treatment results in reduced deposition of pitch.  
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the enzyme-treatment results in bleaching of the paper material.  
     
     
         5 . The process of any one of claims  1 - 4 , in which the papermaking pulp comprises a chemical pulp.  
     
     
         6 . The process of any one of claims  1 - 4 , wherein the papermaking pulp comprises pulp from recycled printed paper material.  
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the enzyme-treatment results in bleaching of the paper material.  
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 6 , wherein the enzyme-treatment results in de-inking of the paper material.  
     
     
         9 . The process of any one of claims  1 - 4 , wherein a substrate for the enzyme is added before or during the enzyme-treatment step.  
     
     
         10 . The process of any one of claims  1 - 9 , further comprising treating the papermaking pulp and/or process water with an additional enzyme selected from the group consisting of a lipase, cutinase, oxidoreductase, cellulase, amylase, mannanase, steryl esterase, cholesterol esterase activity, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         11  The process of  claim 10 , wherein the oxidoreductase enzyme has laccase activity, peroxidase activity or both laccase and peroxidase activity.  
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 10 , wherein the additional enzyme has lipase activity.  
     
     
         13 . The process of any one of claims  10 - 12 , wherein the treatment with the additional enzyme occurs before, concomitantly with, and/or after the treatment with the fatty acid oxidizing enzyme.  
     
     
         14 . The process of any one of claims  1 - 13 , wherein the fatty acid oxidizing enzyme is a lipoxygenase.  
     
     
         15 . A process for reducing pitch deposition, which process comprises the step of treating a papermaking pulp and/or process water with a fatty acid oxidizing enzyme, wherein the enzyme-treatment results in reduced deposition of pitch.  
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 15 , wherein the fatty acid oxidizing enzyme is a lipoxygenase.  
     
     
         17 . A process for bleaching a paper material, comprising the step of treating a papermaking pulp and/or process water with a fatty acid oxidizing enzyme, wherein the enzyme-treatment results in bleaching of the paper material.  
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 17 , wherein the fatty acid oxidizing enzyme is a lipoxygenase.  
     
     
         19 . A process for de-inking a printed paper material, which process comprises the step of treating a papermaking pulp and/or process water with a fatty acid oxidizing enzyme, wherein the enzyme-treatment results in de-inking of the paper material.  
     
     
         20 . The process of  claim 19 , wherein the fatty acid oxidizing enzyme is a lipoxygenase.