Development of biotechnological textile finishing processes based on the use of enzymes

Enzyme-based biotecnological finishing processes are known for their technological, ecological and economical advantages, so they are an alternative to ecologically undesired chemical processes. Enzymes are ecologically clean catalysts for chemical reactions. Since their optimal activity is limited to narrow temperature and pH regions and depends on their type, origin and concentration, it is necessary to select the proper enzymes for individual finishing technological processes and their optimization. As a consequence, the proposed project will deal with (i) the development and optimization of biotechnological processes used for (a) finishing cellulose and wool fibers in the production of products with a high added value and (b) the decoloration of dyeing wastewaters with extracellular fungi enzymes, and (ii) the inclusion of methods for the evaluation of bio-processing and product quality. In the research different microbiological enzymes, commercial and pure laboratory synthesized ones, will be included. Their action on selected textile substrates will be studied depending on the nature/origin/activity/concentration of the enzyme and on the treatment conditions (pH, T, time, mechanical action). In addition their influence on structural, physical - chemical, mechanical and functional properties of the fabric will be studied. The incorporation/ combination of finishing and dyeing proceses will be carried out. Special attention will be devoted to the interactions between multi-enzyme systems and individual components in the finishing/dyeing baths (chemicals, dyes, textile auxillaries). The occurrence of interactions between the substrate, enzyme and finishing/dyeing agents will be investigated too. Considering that the cclassical processes of reactive dyeing are ecologically questioned due to the high quantity of added chemicals and low degree of dye fixation, the research will also include the optimization of new biotechnological dyeing processes using different reactive dyes at a simultaneously achieved finishing effect - the increased quality of final product (improved coloration and fabric handle, reduction of felting). The results of the proposed project will throw light on fundamental and on technological aspects of enzymatic finishing of cellulose and wool fibers and on the degradation of textile dyes in wastewaters. The development of biotechnological finishing procedures will be coursed experimentally on the textile materials provided by co-financiers following in - laboratory simulated industrial processes. The results of the project will be applicable in finishing processes of natural fibers on the industrial level.