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Antibacterial effects of knotwood extractives on paper mill bacteria

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology

Abstract

Hydrophilic knotwood extracts from 18 wood species were assessed in disc diffusion and liquid culture tests for antibacterial effects against three species of paper mill bacteria. The Pinus sylvestris, P. resinosa, P. contorta, and P. banksiana extracts decreased or inhibited bacterial growth. The susceptibility order was P. sylvestris > P. resinosa > P. contorta > P. banksiana, correlating with the concentrations of pinosylvin and pinosylvin monomethyl ether in these wood species. Also, Pseudotsuga menziesii and Thuja occidentalis extracts had a small inhibitory effect. The Gram-positive Bacillus coagulans was more susceptible to the extracts than the Gram-negative Burkholderia multivorans and Alcaligenes xylosoxydans. The main components in the Pinus knotwood extracts were pinosylvin monomethyl ether and pinosylvin, suggesting these to be the active components. Therefore, pure pinosylvin, pinosylvin monomethyl ether, and dihydro-pinosylvin monomethyl ether were also tested. All compounds showed antibacterial effects. However, higher concentrations were needed for these pure compounds than for the knotwood extracts. Pinosylvin had stronger antibacterial effects than pinosylvin monomethyl ether. This work shows that knotwood extracts, especially from Pinus species, have a potential for use as natural biocides in papermaking.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Jarl Hemming for providing the knotwood meals and his help with the GC analysis of the chemical composition of the extracts. Christer Eckerman is acknowledged for the isolation and purification of the stilbenes and Markku Reunanen for his skilful GC-MS work. Financial support was received from the Foundation for Research of Natural Resources in Finland, the Kemira Foundation, the Academy of Finland, and the National Technology Agency of Finland. This work is part of the activities at the Åbo Akademi Process Chemistry Centre within the Finnish Centre of Excellence Programme (2000–2005) by the Academy of Finland.

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  1. c/o Laboratory of Wood and Paper Chemistry, Åbo Akademi Process Chemistry Centre, Porthansgatan 3, 20500, Turku/Åbo, Finland

    L. E. Lindberg, S. M. Willför & B. R. Holmbom

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  1. L. E. Lindberg
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  2. S. M. Willför
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  3. B. R. Holmbom
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Correspondence to L. E. Lindberg.

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Lindberg, L.E., Willför, S.M. & Holmbom, B.R. Antibacterial effects of knotwood extractives on paper mill bacteria. J IND MICROBIOL BIOTECHNOL 31, 137–147 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10295-004-0132-y

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