Polymer probes and methods

A method of determining the effectiveness of an industrial treatment on pulp or a paper product comprising:

• contacting a lignocellulosic polymer detection probe with a pulp or a paper product, said lignocellulosic polymer detection probe comprising a) a binding module that specifically binds to at least one lignocellulosic polymer and b) a reporter module that is spectroscopically detectable, wherein the binding module is a binding module polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22, and wherein the reporter module is a reporter module polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 24, 26, 28, or 30;
• detecting the specific binding of the probe to the pulp or the paper product;
• calculating the amount of at least one lignocellulosic polymer on a surface of the pulp or the paper product;
• and
• determining the effectiveness of an industrial treatment on the pulp or paper product based on the amount of the at least one lignocellulosic polymer detected.

A method of determining a physical property of pulp or a paper product comprising:

• contacting a lignocellulosic polymer detection probe with a pulp or a paper product, said lignocellulosic polymer detection probe comprising a) a binding module that specifically binds to at least one lignocellulosic polymer and b) a reporter module that is spectroscopically detectable, wherein the binding module is a binding module polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22, and wherein the reporter module is a reporter module polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 24, 26, 28, or 30;
• detecting the specific binding of the probe to the pulp or the paper product;
• calculating the amount of at least one lignocellulosic polymer on a surface of the pulp or the paper product;
• and
• determining at least one physical property of the pulp or paper product based on the amount of the at least one lignocellulosic polymer detected.

A method of detecting a polymer, the method comprising:

• contacting a polymer detection probe with a material, said polymer detection probe comprising a) a binding module that specifically binds to at least one polymer and b) a reporter module that is spectroscopically detectable, wherein the binding module is a binding module polypeptide polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 14, 16, 18, 20, or 22, and wherein the reporter module is a reporter module polypeptide that comprises the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO:
• 24, 26, 28, or 30;
• and
• measuring a property associated with the reporter module to determine the presence or absence of at least one polymer in the material based on specific binding of the probe to the at least one polymer.