As development of techniques for examining enzymatic activity on solid, complex biological materials, is considered to be an important factor in further development of enzyme applications and for understanding the decay of plant materials, this study explores applicability of Scanning Transmission X-ray Microscope (STXM) for determining chemical changes in enzymatically treated samples at the cell wall level. STXM was an instrument of choice for the study due to its capability to differentiate organic compounds at a spatial resolution comparable to an electron microscope. By treating aspen slivers with solutions of either individual or mixtures of enzymes, we confirm the synergistic activity of laccase and xylanase enzymes, and indicate possibility of penetration of small enzymes into the cell wall structures.

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