Our history

In paper industries there are great conflicts regarding  pollution  in the cellulose bleaching process, this has happened because the cellulose pulp can exhibit a big or small dark brown coloration depending on the percentage of lignin in the paper. Thanks to this, a lot of processes for the bleaching were created, along with the use of a great amount of water, which is necessary, they generate different kinds of waste with different techniques, and despite how modern this process might be, the paper industry continues to be one  of the most polluting industries in the world. There are many processes for the bleaching of the pulp; one of the most known is the conventional one, where elemental chlorine is used; this process presents major pollution rates.  Another one is Solvopulping, in this process alcohol is used,  which is better than chlorine, however, it’s too dangerous and not frequently used because of the workers safety.    That is why we propose the modification of a kind of yeast called Saccharomyces cerevisiae, that acts as an organism (system) for the bleaching of lignin when it is in contact with the cellulose, a process we will accomplish with two genes obtained from white  fungus putrescence: the lignin peroxidase and laccase. The lignin peroxidase is one of the main responsibles in the bleaching of the lignin inside the cell walls. It differences itself from another peroxidases for its high oxide-reduction(redox) potencial that directly oxidizes non-phenolic aromatic compounds ;  and Laccase (Lac),  belonging to the blue copper oxidase group, catalyzes the oxidation of organic or inorganic substrates in some fungus and plants they are an  important part of lignin bleaching process and  toxic phenol elimination  derived from this process.