Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) microspectroscopic mapping was investigated as a tool to study the effects of enzymatic retting of flax stems. The FT-IR technique permitted the elucidation of the relative loss or changes in the distribution of key chemical components after treatment with enzymes or enzyme/chelator mixtures in association with visible changes in structure. Cross-sections of Ariane flax stems were treated with SP 249 (a pectinase-rich enzyme mixture from Novo Nordisk) at 0.5, 0.7 or 1.0 ml 1 (-1) concentration in pH 5 acetate buffer for 6h at 40 degreesC. Flax stems treated with 0.5 or 0.7ml 1(-1) SP 249 and 50 mM oxalic acid as a chelator were also investigated by the technique. The results indicated that treatment with 0.5 ml 1(-1) SP 249 alone was ineffective in releasing the fibre bundles from the surrounding tissue, but the release was increased by the addition of 50mM oxalic acid as a likely chelator for the cations of pectate salts. However, the IR spectra of the bundles indicated that an insoluble oxalate salt remained on the tissue after this treatment. Increasing the concentration of SP 249 to 0.7ml 1(-1) plus 50 mM oxalic acid was effective in releasing the fibre bundles and generating some ultimate fibres with no detectable oxalate expectate salt residues. Increasing the SP 249 concentration to 1.0 ml 1(-1) without using oxalic acid was effective in separating the fibre bundles into ultimate (individual) fibres, leaving no pectate salt residue and only a trace of pectic esters and/or acids. The use of infrared mapping, or so-called chemical imaging, is shown to have advantages over visible imaging alone in that it can detect and locate the chemical species present after each treatment in relation to the anatomical features of the flax stem. This analytical tool shows promise as a technique by which to study the effects of enzymatic treatment of natural fibre materials. Published in 2002 for SCI by John Wiley Sons, Ltd.
