Abstract

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.

© 2004 NIR Publications

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