Mycelial paper: A potential resource recovery process?

Abstract

Eleven species of fungi representative of a broad range of cell‐wall compositions were evaluated with respect to their papermaking potential as additives to woodpulp furnishes. Some of these species were also examined for their ability to grow on a spent liquor from the pulp‐and‐paper industry. Handsheets with various levels of incorporated mycelia exhibited a wide range of species‐dependent properties. Behavior of the mycelia in the sheets can be modified to a degree by physical and chemical treatments. The overall results suggest that small amounts (5–10% of the sheet constituents) of mycelia, grown inexpensively on waste effluents, might be incorporated into wood fiber paper without serious deleterious effects on paper strength properties. In some cases improved paper is obtained, and larger quantities of mycelia might be used to impart specific properties to the product.