Abstract

Paper mills processing recycled paper suffer from biofouling causing problems both in the mill and final product. The total bacterial community composition and identification of specific taxa in the process water and biofilms at the stock preparation and paper machine areas in a mill with recycled paper pulp was described by using a DNA-based approach. Process water in a similar mill was also analyzed to investigate if general trends can be found between mills and over time. Bacterial community profiles, analyzed by terminal-restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP), in process water showed that the dominant peaks in the profiles were similar between the two mills, although the overall composition was unique for each mill. When comparing process water and biofilm at different locations within one of the mills, we observed a separation according to location and sample type, with the biofilm from the paper machine being most different. 16S rRNA gene clone libraries were generated and 404 clones were screened by RFLP analysis. Grouping of RFLP patterns confirmed that the biofilm from the paper machine was most different. A total of 99 clones representing all RFLP patterns were analyzed, resulting in sequences recovered from nine bacterial phyla, including two candidate phyla. Bacteroidetes represented 45% and Actinobacteria 23% of all the clones. Sequences with similarity to organisms implicated in biofouling, like Chryseobacterium spp. and Brevundimonas spp., were recovered from all samples even though the mill had no process problems during sampling, suggesting that they are part of the natural paper mill community. Moreover, many sequences showed little homology to as yet uncultivated bacteria implying that paper mills are interesting for isolation of new organisms, as well as for bioprospecting.

Keywords

Recycled pulp; Paper mill; Biofilm; Bacteria; Paper machine; Process water; T-RFLP; Clone library

Published in

Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology
2010, Volume: 37, number: 10, pages: 1061-1069
Publisher: SPRINGER HEIDELBERG

SLU Authors

• Granhall, Ulf

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Welsh, Allana

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Throbäck, Ingela

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Hallin, Sara

  • Department of Molecular Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG6 Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all
SDG12 Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns


UKÄ Subject classification

Fish and Aquacultural Science
Forest Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-010-0754-1

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/60864