Environment and Ecology Research 2(8): 301-310, 2014 http://www.hrpub.org DOI: 10.13189/eer.2014.020803 Quality Improvement of Wool Fabric Using Protease Enzyme Pooja, Ekta Sharma * , Nargis Fatima Ethilind School of Home Science, Sam Higginbottom Institute of Agriculture, Technology & Sciences(Formerly Allahabad Agriculture Institute), India *Corresponding Author: groverekta1@gmail.com Copyright © 2014 Horizon Research Publishing All rights reserved. Abstract Wool is a fiber from the fleece of domesticated sheep. The scaly structure of wool is responsible, to a great extent, for the tendency of wool to felt and shrink. Chlorination is a commonly used process to modify the scales of wool fibers with the purpose of providing resistance to felting and shrinkage but this process shows a number of drawbacks which forced to search for an ecologically clean alternative. There have been many attempts to replace this chlorine process by an environmental friendly process that would similarly degrade the scales. Enzyme processing is one of them that has come to forefront in the textile processing units and made processing more eco-friendly. In the present study an attempt was made to treat the wollen fabric with different concentrations (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5g/l) of Protease enzyme and observed the effects on physical properties including hand of the fabric, weight loss, Scanning Electron Microscope (SCM) test, absorbency, pilling, tensile strength, and fabric drape, dyeability as well as colour fastness properties of woolen fabrics. The control, scoured and enzyme treated samples were also tested and compared. All the samples were dyed with acid dye to check the effect of enzymatic degumming on dye ability of wool fabric. The dyed fabrics were subjected to testing for various colorfastness properties including light, washing, crocking and perspiration. Untreated wool fiber showed fair handle, no absorbency (60 seconds), rough and sharp scales on the surface of fiber, however enzyme treatment with different concentrations wool fabric showed improvement in softness, slight weight loss (6.31%), smoother surface scales, improved absorbency (minimum 45 seconds) and drapability. Treatment with protease enzyme brought improvement in the physical and colorfastness properties of wool fabric. Among all the concentrations of protease enzyme, 4 g/l concentration was found to be best. Keywords Coarse Woolen Fabric, Enzyme Treatment, Physical and Colourfastness Properties, Protease Enzyme and Acid Dye 1. Introduction Environment and ecology occupy a prominent place among the key focal issues faced by the world today. The natural fibres are eco-friendly and are easily disposable. They do not disturb the ecological balance of the environment. Wool, one of natural fibres, is fiber from the fleece of domesticated sheep. It is a natural, protein, multi-cellular, staple fiber. Wool consists of two major morphological parts: the cuticle and the cortex. The former is composed of overlapping cells (scales) that surround the latter. This scaly structure is responsible, to a great extent, for the tendency of wool to felt and shrink. Chlorination is a commonly used process to modify the scales of wool fibers with the purpose of providing resistance to felting and shrinkage. From today’s point of view the chlorination process shows a number of drawbacks which make us search for an ecologically clean alternative worthwhile: limited durability, poor handle, yellowing of wool, difficulties in dyeing and the most important today, environmental impact. There have been many attempts to replace this chlorine process by an environmental friendly enzymatic process that would similarly degrade the scales. Because of the new environmental directives, the development of clean technologies such as enzymatic finishing processes is a priority. Enzymes are natural protein molecules that act as highly efficient catalysts in biochemical reactions, i.e., they help a chemical reaction take place quickly and efficiently. This catalytic capability is what makes enzymes unique. Enzymes not only work efficiently and rapidly, but they are also biodegradable. Thus Keeping in mind these points, the present study was undertaken to treat the woven woolen fabric with protease enzyme using different concentrations, to determine the effect of enzyme treatment on dye ability and to find out the effect of protease enzyme on the physical and colourfastness properties of the woolen fabric. 2. Methodology 2.1. Raw Materials Coarse woolen (woven) fabric and Alkaline Protease