Optimization of enzymatic process for preparation of absorbent cotton

Abstract

An ecofriendly process has been developed for preparation of absorbent cotton using short staple fibres of cotton. The crude enzyme extract of solid state fermentation has been employed for absorbent cotton preparation and the treatment conditions are optimized. Five gram of short staple fibre is used in each treatment. Under optimized solid state fermentation conditions, such as fungal strain (<em>P. flabellatus</em>)<em>, </em>substrate composition (banana pseudo stem, cottonseed hulls and cottonseed meal in the ratio of 60:30:10) and fermentation period (5 days), the absorbency recorded is found 7 s. In another experiment, process parameters of single bath enzymatic scouring and bleaching process are also optimized. Under optimized process conditions, such as enzyme extract (30 %), temperature (60ºC), time (40 min), <em>p</em>H (9.0) and wetting agent (0.1%), the absorbency is found 2 s and whiteness index is 31.5 (CIE method). The pectinase and laccase activity recorded in the enzyme extract is found to be 28.1 and 6 units per milliliter respectively. The enzymes remain active at different temperature and <em>p</em>H tested. The characterization using scanning electron microscope (SEM) reveals the fibre surface modification in the enzyme treated cotton.