Bioscouring of cellulosic textiles

Abstract

A study on bioscouring of cotton yarn with the pectinase enzyme was carried out and the results compared with the usual alkali scoured material. The results indicate that the bioscoured yarn has lower percentage of non-cellulosic constituents (impurities), higher tenacity, higher absorbency and the same whiteness after hydrogen peroxide bleaching as compared with the Solomatic bleached yarn. A similar study on cotton fabric indicates that a combined desizing and bioscouring is not feasible at least at ambient temperature. More work, however, is required to compare bioscouring followed by bleaching with the Solomatic or two step scouring and bleaching methods. One interesting finding is that the efficiency of washing of the desized fabric improves on adding ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid sequestrating agent in the wash liquor. Additional advantages of bioscouring are lower energy cost and more easily biodegradable effluent in comparison to alkali scouring.