DYEING OF COTTON WITH SULPHUR DYES USING ALKALINE ENZYMES AS ALTERNATE REDUCING SYSTEMS

摘要

Sulphur dyes are water insoluble and require reduction and solubilisation before application. These dyes used for dyeing cotton with heavy shades, primarily because of good light and wash fastness at low cost. Sodium sulphide used for reduction is highly toxic releasing sulphur products in drained out liquor and hydrogen sulphide gas. Enzymes, capable of reducing sulphur dyes were studied to replace sodium sulphide from dyebath formulation. It was found that few enzymes viz. lipase, pectinase, protease and catalase can effectively reduce all sulphur dyes while other enzymes studied could not. Dyebath potential, color strength (K/S), reduction bath stability and colorfastness of dyeing showed almost comparable results in both the reducing systems, thus opening scope for enzymatic dyeing of cotton with sulphur dyes.