Bio-Technology in Textile

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                                                             Deepak Dhir 

                                       The Technological Institute of Textile and Sciences, Bhiwani

e                                             Email: deepakdhir0001@gmail.com

                       

                              Application Of Bio-technology In Textile Wet processing

Introduction:

The textile wet processing sector is the one of the biggest production sector of Asia which drain highest amount of hazardous effluent and directly involved to create ambient problem now it is became serious problem to major textile producing zones like Pakistan ,China, India ,Bangladesh. It also creates negative impact on textile market of those countries who doesn’t take serious action against environmental issues like zero drainage eco-friendly products. 

Therefore, The researchers and scientists are working to solve economical, ecological, eco- friendly issues by troubleshooting converting the chemical treatments into biological treatments, recently successful working on biological treatments appeared in the field of wet processing specially in pretreatment sector and are in industrial practices biological evolution.

What is bio-technology?

Application of living organism to the industries are called bio textile. Biotechnology in Textile Processing examines recent trends, techniques, and developments in the finishing and processing of natural fibers. Bio textiles are structures composed of textile fibers designed for use in specific biological environments where their performance depends on biocompatibility and bio stability with cells and biological fluids. Bio-Textile is the latest and updated technology for Textile Industry where the Enzymes are used in different process in order to achieve different goals. Living organism is used to carry out the enzymatic process. Bio textiles include implantable devices such as surgical sutures, hernia repair fabrics, arterial grafts, artificial skin and parts of artificial hearts.

Importance of Bio-Technology in Textile Processing: 

The importance of using bio-technology in Textile is worth-mentioning.

ü Enzymatic process enhances the variety of plants used in Textile Fiber productions. It also influences the inner properties of fibers.

ü The influence of enzymatic pre-treatment on color of bleached and dyed flax fibers

ü It is very useful during waste managing.

ü Prevents the adulteration.

ü Bio-technology helps the quality control.

ü Enhance the low energy type detergents.

ü Using enzymes in finishing department.

ü Used instead of harmful dyestuffs and chemical treatments.

ü Tend to use micro-organism and bio-polymer in Textile which develop the total process of textile.

ü Enzymatic scouring for better textile properties of knitted fabrics

ü Designing wood fiber morphology and mechanical properties of fiberboards

ü Enzymatic finishes of wool fabrics

ü The effects of ultrasound on the performance of industrial enzymes used in cotton bio-preparation and bio-finishing applications

2.   What are Enzymes?

Enzymes are the organic complex & soluble bio-catalysts, formed by living organisms that catalyze chemical reaction in biological process. Enzymes are quite specific in their action on a particular substance. A small quantity of enzyme is able to decompose a large quantity of substance it acts upon. Enzymes are usually named by the substances degraded in the reaction it catalyzes. They are naturally occurring high molecular weight proteins. Their molecular weight ranges from .

Enzymes are protein molecules in cells which work as catalysts.[1] Enzymes speed up chemical reactions in the body, but do not get used up in the process.

Almost all biochemical reactions in living things need enzymes. With an enzyme, reactions work very much faster than they would without.

The substances at the start of the reaction are called substrates. The substances at the end of the reaction are the products. Enzymes work on the substrates, and turn them into products.

Enzyme structure

Enzymes are large molecules made from many amino acids. The amino acids link together in a long chain, which is folded up into a complex structure. Enzymes have a part which holds the substrate: a "claw, cleft, hollow or knob to grasp, hold, stretch and bend the molecule it acts on, the substrate.

There are thousands of different enzymes. Enzymes have names which show what they do. Enzyme names usually end in –ase to show that they are enzymes. Examples of this include ATP synthase. It makes a chemical called ATP. Another example is DNA polymerase. It reads an intact DNA strand and uses it as a template to make a new strand.Enzymes are not only for breaking large chemicals into smaller chemicals. Other enzymes take smaller chemicals and build them up into bigger chemicals, and do many other chemical tasksMost enzymes will not work unless the temperature and pH are just right. In mammals the right temperature is usually about 37oC degrees (body temperature). The correct pH can vary greatly. Pepsin is an example of an enzyme that works best when pH is about 1.5. Heating an enzyme above a certain temperature will destroy the enzyme permanently. It will be broken down by protease and the chemicals will be used again.

Some chemicals can help an enzyme do its job even better. These are called activators. Sometimes, a chemical can slow down an enzyme or even make the enzyme not work at all. These are called inhibitors. Most drugs are chemicals that either speed up or slow down some enzyme in the human body.

Lock and key model

Enzymes are very specific, and it was suggested by Lock and key model Enzymes are very specific, and it was suggested by Emil Fischer in 1894 that this was because both the enzyme and the substrate possess specific complementary geometric shapes that fit exactly into one another. This is often referred to as "the lock and key" model.

Diagrams to show the induced fit hypothesis of enzyme action:

 

In 1958, Daniel Koshland suggested a modification to the lock and key model. Since enzymes are rather flexible structures, the active site is reshaped by interactions with the substrate. As a result, the substrate does not simply bind to a rigid active site. The amino acid side-chains of the active site are bent into positions so the enzyme does its catalytic work. In some cases, such as glycosidases, the substrate molecule also changes shape slightly as it enters the active sitein 1894 that this was because both the enzyme and the substrate possess specific complementary geometric shapes that fit exactly

Properties of Enzyme

            Enzymes are living organism which is based on protein.

1.               Its main function is fermentation of starch
2.                Soluble in water & insoluble in acid & alcohol. No risk of hydrocellulose formation during        pilling
3.               An enzyme accelerates the rate of particular reaction by lowering the activation energy of         reaction.
4.               Enzymes operate under mild condition that means each enzyme have its optimum temperature   &  pressure. So this is easy to control.
5.              Enzymes are biodegradable & environment friendly.

Factors affecting the efficiency of Enzymes:

• 1)   Substrate concentration
• 2)   pH value
• 3)   Temperature
• 4)   Time
• 5)   Activator
• 6)   Inhibitor

Enzyme  activity  on  textile substrate is   specific   and   the   activity   is   mainly depended   on   the   following   factors :

1. Concentration   of   substrate: Rate   of enzymatic action increased with increase in the substrate concentration, then there is  no  improvement  can  be  observed  (if the variables can be controlled).
2. Concentration    of    enzyme:Rate    of enzyme action is directly proportional to the concentration of enzyme, however in presence   of   the   products,   this   linear relationship may not hold, since it might has inhibition effect on enzyme.
3. pH: Enzymes are susceptible, when there will  be  change  in  pH.Each  enzyme  has its own optimum pH i.e. H+ concentration at which the enzyme reacts at    maximum    speed    and    has    more stability. It is possible that changes in pH alter   the   equilibrium   point   between enzyme  and  product  since,  other  than optimum   pH   each   enzyme   can   be deactivated
4. Temperature:Each enzyme has its own optimum temperature i.e. temperature at which  the  conversion  of  substrate  in  to products in a unit time will be high. The rate   of   an   enzyme-catalyzed   reaction increased with increasing in temperature (up to its optimum temperature) and then suddenly  decreased  due  to  deactivation of active sites.
5. Concentration of reaction products:The presence   of   higher   concentration   of products   can   decrease  in   the  rate   of decomposition of enzyme-substrate complex.  It  is  due  to  the  formation  of staple  product-enzyme  than  of  enzyme-substrate   complex,   which   blocks   the “active centers” in certain proportion of the enzyme.
6. Time:Enzyme reacts in a shorter time at an optimum condition and the processing time not given sufficient consideration in discussing  factors  that  affect  the  rate  of enzyme action.
7. Activators: Some specific bivalent metal cation act as activators, by stabilizing the enzyme-substrate    complex,    and    so sensitize  the  substrate  to  the  attack  of enzyme

 Types of Enzyme

According to the source Enzymes are mainly two type

1)Vegetable Enzyme

2)Animal Enzyme: Enzymes which we get from slaughterhouse wastes like pancreas, cattle blood lever. Example: Pancreatic (which form milky emulsion in water & capable of modifying starch, albumen, pectins& fats), Novofermasol, Degomma

Working condition: Temperature-50ºC-55ºC, pH- 5.5-7.5

Vegetable Enzymes are two types:

  1) Malt extract Enzyme: Malt extract is made from germinated barley or extraction of fresh barley cones. These are particularly used in desizing process.

Trade name: Ferment D, Terhyd MD, Diastafor, Diastase, Maltostase.

Working condition: Temperature- 55ºC-60ºC, pH- 6-7.

2)Bacterial Enzyme: Enzymes which are commercially produced by growing cultures of certain microorganisms (i.e. fermented rice    produce bacteria Extract    grow enlarge    prepared).

Working condition: Temperature-70ºC-75ºC, pH- 6.5-7.5

 Trade name: Rapidase, Biolase, Bactolase, Gelatase, Acry, Protease, Catalase.

Role of Enzymes In textile Wet-Processing

Enzymes are proteins formed by long linear chains of amino acids linked by peptide bonds. They are present in all living cells which carry out vital functions in the metabolic process, of growth & cellular reproduction, transforming & conserving energy. They are biological catalysts capable of notably accelerating the chemical reactions which occur in living organisms. They are produced by cells, but they aren’t viruses or bacteria & they can’t reproduce autonomously; they are therefore “alive” even though not biologically active, in determined conditions of pH, temperature, liquor composition & so on.

From the beginning of nineties till today, the biggest development of modern enzymology is made in the textile segment with the introduction of

(Enzymes used in Textile & their effects):

Enzyme	Effects
1)    Amylose	Amylase is used in desizing that hydrolyses & reduce the molecular weight of amylose & amylopectin molecules in starch, rendering it water soluble enough to be washed off the fabric.
2)   Cellulase	Cellulase enzymes are used in cotton bio-polishing which selectively acts on the loose fibers protruding from the fabric or yarn surface. This enzyme can also be used in bio-stoning of jeans.
3)   Pectinase	Pectinase enzyme is used in bio-scouring of cotton to remove hydrophobic (oils, fats) & other non-cellulosic components (dusts, dirt’s).Retting of Flax and Hemp.
4)   Catalase	After bleaching with hydrogen peroxide, Catalase enzyme is used in the subsequent process which functions to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide to water & oxygen.
5)   Protease	Protease is used in the scouring of animal fibers, degumming of silk & modification of wool fiber properties.
6)   Esterases	1.     In development polyester finish removal of oligomers. 2.    In development polyacrylonitrile preparation for bettercoloration. 3.    Polyester finish (removal of oligomers) 4.    Reduction of hydrophobicity and electrostatic charges of polyester
7)   Laccase	Laccase enzyme is used for oxidation of dyes such as Indigo
8)   Peroxidases	Used as an enzymatic rinse process after reactive dying, oxidative splitting of hydrolyzed reactive dyes on the fiber and in the liquor, providing better wet fastness, decolorized wastewater and potentially toxic decomposition compound.

 Conclusion

Textile processing is a growing industry that traditionally has used a lot of water, energy and harsh chemicals. Starting from pesticides for cotton growing to high amounts of wash waters that result in waste streams causing high environmental burdens. As textile fibers are polymers, the majority being of natural origin, it is reasonable to expect there would be a lot of opportunities for the application of white biotechnology to textile processing. Enzymes nature’s catalysts are the logical tools for development of new biotechnology-based solutions for textile wet processing. Developments in genetic and protein engineering have led to improvements in the stability, economy, specificity and overall application potential of industrial enzymes. When all the benefits of using enzymes are taken into consideration, it’s not surprising that the number of commercial applications for enzymes is increasing every year.