One interesting and sustainable method for the treatment of a large variety of surfaces is the atmospheric plasma technology. The use of plasma technologies can lead to physicochemical interactions between the plasma and the substrate material. Such interactions can result in a wide variety of molecular (creation of functional groups, radical formation, microscopic (roughness, etching, reduction of wood extractives and macroscopic (wettability, liquid penetration, surface energy) modifications of the substrate surface. Aim of this study was to take a deeper look on occurring molecular changes of cellulose by using spectroscopic methods. The treated materials were analyzed by Attenuated Total Reflection – Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The evaluation of XPS detail-spectra and their separation into sub-spectra can be used to describe general changes in the chemical bonding states. For a better differentiation of the species produced by the plasma at the surface of the materials, specific derivatization reactions and subsequent analysis of the reaction products formed during derivatization are carried out in order to distinguish the different states of species that are present. The formation of oxygen-containing, polar functionalities on cellulose by plasma treatment could be confirmed. Chemical derivatization of cellulose in connection with subsequent XPS measurements showed the formation of O = C bonds in connection with the reduction of OH groups. In addition, the formation of carbonate groups on cellulose appears to be possible as a treatment effect, for which a corresponding reaction mechanism is discussed.