Biopreparation may be a valuable and environmentally friendly alternative to harsh alkaline chemicals for preparing cotton. In bioscouring, the removal of non-cellulosic substances can be achieved primarily through hydrolytic enzymes, such as pectinase, amylase, xylanases, and cellulases. The bioprocess offers several advantages over conventional chemical scouring. Enzymes function under mild conditions (pH and temperature), consume less water, and act specifically on certain substrates.

Modern society expects biotechnology to address global issues like energy resource depletion, incurable diseases, and pollution. Textile processing, an industry with historically high water and energy usage and reliance on harsh chemicals, from pesticides in cotton farming to excessive wash water leading to environmental waste streams, can benefit from the application of white biotechnology. Enzymes, nature's catalysts, are logical tools for developing new biotechnology-based solutions for textile wet processing. The selection of enzymes is based on their compatibility with pH and temperature. The optimal conditions for this process are determined considering the properties of the scoured goods.

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About the Authors:

Ms. M. Thenmozhi is a Lecturer at the Department of Biotechnology in Karpagam University, Coimbatore.

Dr. Rajeshwari Sivaraj is an Assistant Professor at the Department of Biotechnology in Karpagam University, Coimbatore.

Originally published in the Textile Review, April 2012.