The degradation patterns of Eucalyptus globulus wood by several wood-rottin
g fungi from the groups of ascomycetes, basidiomycetes and deuteromycetes w
ere studied by analytical pyrolysis coupled to gas chromatography/mass spec
trometry. The pyrograms of sound and degraded eucalypt wood showed several
major peaks from lignin breakdown, identified as guaiacol, 4-methylguaiacol
, 4-vinylguaiacol, eugenol, syringol, trans-isoeugenol, 4-methylsyringol, 4
-ethylsyringol, 4-vinylsyringol, 4-allylsyringol, syringaldehyde, trans-4-p
ropenylsyringol, acetosyringone, syringylacetone and propiosyringone. Produ
cts arising from carbohydrate pyrolysis could also be recognized. Similar p
yrolysis compounds were found during analysis of sound and decayed wood, bu
t differences were observed in their relative abundances. Relative peak are
as were calculated for guaiacyl (G) and syringyl-type (S) lignin breakdown
products, as well as for compounds arising from carbohydrates. Several basi
diomycetes were found to be the most efficient lignin degraders on eucalypt
wood as revealed by lignin/carbohydrate ratio from pyrolysis products. Amo
ng them, Poria subvermispora caused the most intense removal of lignin moie
ty from eucalypt wood. A decrease of lignin S/G ratio was observed during w
ood delignification, the lowest ratio being found also in the wood treated
with P. subvermispora. This is due to the preferential biodegradation of et
her-linked S-lignin yielding a residue enriched in G-lignin that is more re
calcitrant towards fungal attack because of its higher condensation degree.
On the other hand, deuteromycetes preferentially degraded the carbohydrate
moiety while the ascomycetes included in this study did not show any parti
cular preference in the degradation of eucalypt wood constituents. (C) 2001
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