Highly purified Cerrena unicolor laccase (benzenediol:oxygen oxidoreductase, EC 1.10.3.2) caused the demethoxylation of milled wood lignin and several lignin related substances. The constitutive form of the enzyme produced extracellularly by C. unicolor fermenter culture was isolated and purified by ion-exchange chromatography on the DEAE-Toyopearl column and by affinity chromatography on a ConA-Sepharose and Syringyl-AH-Sepharose 4B columns. The enzyme was further immobilized on functionalized porous glass (CPG) and keratin coated CPG. The demethylating activity was monitored both by estimation of released methanol and by detection of the level of methoxyl groups (also in some water miscible solvents) after incubation of lignin materials with laccase preparations (free and immobilized). The effects of the incubation time and temperature on the demethoxylating activity of immobilized laccase preparations were also studied.