| Summary: | The biotechnological potential of nine decay fungi collected from stored beech logs at a pulp and paper factory yard in Northern Iran was investigated. Beech blocks exposed to the fungi in a laboratory decay test were used to study changes in cell wall chemistry using both wet chemistry and spectroscopic methods. <i>Pleurotus ostreatus</i>, <i>P. pulmonarius</i>, and <i>Lentinus sajor-caju</i> caused greater lignin breakdown compared to other white-rot fungi, which led to a 28% reduction in refining energy. <i>Trametes</i><i>versicolor</i> caused the greatest glucan loss, while <i>P. ostreatus</i> and <i>L. sajor-caju</i> were associated with the lowest losses of this sugar. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analyses indicated that white-rot fungi caused greater lignin degradation in the cell walls via the oxidation aromatic rings, confirming the chemical analysis. The rate of cellulose and lignin degradation by the <i>T.</i><i>versicolor</i> and <i>Pleurotus</i> species was high compared to the other decay fungi analyzed in this study. Based on the above information, we propose that, among the fungi tested, <i>P. ostreatus</i> (27.42% lignin loss and 1.58% cellulose loss) and <i>L. sajor-caju</i> (29.92% lignin loss and 5.95% cellulose loss) have the greatest potential for biopulping.
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