Bioscouring of cotton using lipase from marine bacteria Bacillus sonorensis.

Bioscouring refers to the enzymatic removal of impurities from cotton fabric, which imparts it with improved hydrophilicity for further wet processes. In the present study, the efficacy of lipase from newly isolated marine bacteria Bacillus sonorensis isolated from marine clams Paphia malabarica collected from Kalbadevi estuary, Mumbai, India, has been evaluated for scouring of cotton fabric and compared with conventional alkaline scouring of cotton. As a scouring agent for cotton fabrics, the lipase from B. sonorensis was capable of removing substantial amount of wax from the cotton surface and hydrolyzing it into fatty acids. Bioscouring carried out with lipase at a concentration of 8 % on the weight of the fabric (owf) at pH 9, temperature 60 °C for 120 min showed maximum weight loss and hydrophilicity. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) studies revealed that the lipase-scoured fabric showed smooth surface indicating no damage to the fabric whereas the surface of the alkaline-scoured fabric appeared rough causing damage to the fabric. Evaluation of fabric properties such as wettability, whiteness, dyeing behaviour, tensile strength and bending rigidity revealed that the bioscouring using lipase from B. sonorensis is as effective as conventional alkaline treatment.