Degradation kinetics of pectins by an alkaline pectinase in bioscouring of cotton fabrics

Alkaline pectinases have been proven to be effective as bioscouring agents of cotton fabrics. In order to monitor the scouring degree of cotton fabrics quantificationally, a kinetic study of the degradation of pectins in cotton by an alkaline pectinase 'Bioprep 3000L' was performed and the influences of initial pectinase concentration and treatment time on bioscouring were evaluated quantitatively. The results showed that although the degradation products increased as pectinase concentration grew higher at same incubation time, the growth multiples of the maximum degradation rate which was used as the starting degradation rate were less than those of initial enzyme concentration. The degradation kinetics of pectins in cotton fibers with a pectinase could be described by modified Ghose-Walseth kinetic empirical equations which had been previously applied to the degradation reaction of cellulose. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.