Parrac Limited is the owner of the intellectual property, know-how and strains of albino Ophiostoma piliferum, known as Cartapip 97, and as Sylvanex 97™.
Announcement
24 November 2008
Announcing the re-launching of Cartapip 97/Sylvanex 97 worldwide, with improved production and storage qualities of the product . Available immediately.
Cartapip 97 (albino Ophiostoma piliferum 97) is sold by the Activity Unit (AU) at US$25 per AU. One AU is sufficient to treat 10 wet tonnes of wood chips. Cartapip is manufactured in the USA and shipped FOB Chicago, IL, USA. Enquiries welcome for research trials.
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Product:
Cartapip 97 also known as Sylvanex 97 is a unique pulping aid that improves mechanical and chemical pulping of wood chips, and keeps wood whiter. Cartapip 97 is a fungus that grows through the resin canals reducing the extractives as it grows through the chip. This process appears to create pathways through the chip that can improve the penetration of pulping chemicals.
The active ingredient in Cartapip 97 and Sylvanex 97 is a selected white (albino) strain #97 of Ophiostoma piliferum. The product consists of freeze dried light brown flakes, which are mixed with water to a dilute suspension. This suspension is sprayed onto the wood chips or solid wood. Storage of Cartapip sprayed wood of more than six days allows the fungus to grow through the wood. Cartapip is sold by the Activity Unit (AU) and the typical recommended dosage for wood chips is 1 AU per ten tons of wet wood. The dosage may be varied depending on wood species, temperature and incubation times.
Benefits
- Albino Ophiostoma piliferum (sold as the products Cartapip and Sylvanex™ exert a 'biocontrol' effect, preventing fungal discolouration by being white and the dominant organism on wood.
- Resin (pitch) decrease, with non-destructive penetration of wood cells;
- Maintenance of brightness levels in storage and transportation of wood chips prior to pulping, with resultant decreased pulp bleaching requirement, and modifications to fibre;
- Environmental benefits by reduction of resin acids, decreasing their effluent load.
History
The product consists of a specific albino strain #97 of Ophiostoma piliferum called Cartapip 97 (For applications to solid wood it is marketed under the name Sylvanex). The albino strain #97 was made by classical mating of Ophiostoma strains isolated, and selection, resulting in stable strains that degrade pitch components and are albinos i.e. non-coloured hyphae, thus making no stain which is caused by melanin. Cartapip was developed without the use of mutagenesis or genetic engineering.
Cartapip 97 was marketed by Sandoz Chemicals Corp. from 1991-1995, and subsequently by Clariant Corp when Sandoz AG spun off its worldwide chemical businesses. In 2000, Clariant Corp. sold the Cartapip technology and relevant patents to AgraSol. In December 2004 the Cartapip technologies, know-how and IP were purchased by Parrac Ltd, a New Zealand business run by Roberta Farrell, one of the inventors and leader of the development team of the original technology.
Health and Safety
Cartapip 97 has USDA certification as a non-pathogen, has had full acute toxicity testing at the Huntingdon Research Laboratories with no demonstrated negative effects, and EPA ruling determining that it is not subject to Federal Plant Pest Act regulations and not regulated by TSCA. In 2007 the product was granted Canadian Pest Management Regulatory Agency Registration under the name Sylvanex (Temporary registration numbers 27580 and 27581) verifying its compliance with strict safety and environmental requirements. See Material Safety Data Sheet for handling safety.
Albino Fungi: Key Characteristics
- Pitch degradation and lack of cellulolytic activity
- Resin (pitch) decrease, with non-destructive penetration of wood cells;
- Reduces pitch components by fungal secretion of hydrolytic and oxidative enzymes that act on: - Hydrocarbons, Fatty acids, Resin acids; - Steroid hydrocarbons, Sterols, Steroid ketones; - Squalene,α-Tocopherol, Sterol esters & triglycerides.