Improving Colorant Absorption from Pistachio Hulls on Wool Fiber Using ‎Protease Enzyme

Nowadays, textile processing based ‎on biotechnology has gained its ‎importance in the view of stringent ‎environmental and industrial ‎safety conditions. The use of ‎protease enzymes in protein fibers ‎to improve some physical and ‎mechanical properties is ‎particularly interesting. In this ‎research, wool yarns were first ‎treated with different ‎concentrations of protease ‎enzymes in aqueous solution ‎including 1%, 2%, 4% and 6% ‎o.w.f. for 60 minutes. The dyeing ‎process was then applied on the ‎treated yarns with pistachio hulls ‎as a fruit waste. Some of physical, ‎mechanical and colorimetric ‎properties of the treated wool ‎yarns were discussed. Tensile ‎strength of the treated yarns was ‎decreased due to the enzyme ‎treatment and it continued to ‎decrease with an increase in the ‎enzyme concentration in solution. ‎Lightness was decreased for the ‎samples treated with enzymes. The ‎wash and light fastness properties ‎of samples were measured ‎according to ISO 105-CO5 and ‎Daylight ISO 105-BO1. The ‎washing fastness properties of the ‎treated samples were not changed. ‎In the case of light fastness ‎properties, it was increased a little ‎for 4% and 6% enzyme treated ‎samples.‎