Enhancement of Wood Biological Resistance and Fire Retardant Properties after Laccase Assisted Enzymatic Grafting

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

This manuscript focuses on using lignin sulfonate and kraft lignin-based compounds for wood protection against decay and fire. The overall experimental design is good and the reader would appreciate the following changes to make it more clear:

1. Are the lignins being grafted on the wood surface or in the wood cell wall?

2. What are the differences b/t lignin sulfonate and kraft lignin used in this study? For example, what are the molecular weights of the lignins used? How do these properties affect the final performance of the wood and why?

3. Section 2.2 Determination of laccase activity. The experimental details are not clear. For example.

--What does dilutions of 1:000 and 1: 2000 mean? Is this referring to weight ratio?

--Enzymatic activity was determined mixing 350μl  of what?? And…

4. In figure 3, there are multiple labels with control on the x-axis and what are the differences among these control then?

5. Figure 4 and 5, what would be the main reasons cause the differences b/t TBBPA/Laccase and  TBBPA/Laccase/O2 treatments?

Author Response

Dear author I put in the file doc Comments to reviewers the replies to your requests, Best Regards

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Reviewer 2 Report

The manuscript deals with an actual, for readers interesting topic.  

The Title, Abstract, Introduction, Material and Methodology and Results sections are well written. 

However, the Discussion and Conclusions section should be improved.

In Discussion, there are almost no studies of other authors discussed. Conclusion is to short, without any introduction part.

In References, there is only one-third of the literature sources up to date (last 5 years).

Author Response

Dear review, thank you a lot for your appreciation and comments.

I put in the file doc the replies to you.

Best regards

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf

Round 2

Reviewer 1 Report

Overall, the authors have addressed most of the comments but the writing can still be improved. Expesically in the section 2.2. Determination of laccase activity.

Line 108, What does “1.0 mM pH 7” refer to in the sentence “Dilutions of laccase Novozymes© 51003 were prepared in phosphate buffer solution 1.0 mM pH 7.”

Line 108, missing by in the sentence “Enzymatic activity was determined by mixing 350 μL of (ABTS) 2. 13mM solution, 1ml phosphate buffer solution 0.1M pH 7 and 150μL of laccase dilution in a plastic spectrophotometer cuvette at room temperature.”

Line 108, what does “2. 13mM solution” mean? 350 μL of ABTS solution (concentration of 2.13mM)? Similarly, 1ml phosphate buffer solution (0.1M, pH 7)?

Author Response

I have corrected and evidenced the change  in green made in the second round review the modifications preformed on order to clarify the paragraph 2.2.

Author Response File: Author Response.pdf