Influence of xilanase treatment on Pinus pinaster kraft pulp

In Portugal, pulp and paper industry uses especially two wood species, Eucalyptus globules and Pinus pinaster. The second species gives pulps with low bleachability (compared with other common softwood species, like Pinus silvester), utilised for packaging papers. It is known that treatments with different hydrolytic enzymes could improve the bleaching capacity of softwood pulp. That is why, xylanases were used to improve Pinus pinaster kraft pulp characteristics. The enzymatic hydrolysis improved brightness and some papermaking properties