Textile dyes loaded chitosan nanoparticles: Characterization, biocompatibility and staining capacity

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Textile Chemistry
• Biotechnology

Background:

• Traditional textile dyeing poses environmental and health risks due to hazardous chemicals.
• Effluent treatment is a common but insufficient method for managing dye pollution.
• Developing sustainable and eco-friendly dyeing processes is crucial for the textile industry.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel, eco-friendly textile dyeing method using chitosan nanoparticles.
• To investigate the dye-loading capacity and characteristics of chitosan nanoparticles.
• To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the nanoencapsulated dyes on human skin cells.

Main Methods:

• Production of yellow Everzol and navy blue Itosperse loaded chitosan nanoparticles via ionic gelation.
• Characterization of nanoparticle size, surface charge, and entrapment efficacy.
• Assessment of textile staining performance and cytotoxicity using HaCat cells.

Main Results:

• Chitosan nanoparticles achieved high dye entrapment efficacy (>90%) for both yellow and navy blue dyes.
• The nanoparticles exhibited positive surface charges and sizes ranging from 190 to 800 nm.
• Nanoencapsulated dyes showed no cytotoxicity towards human skin cells and achieved significant staining percentages on a viscose/wool blend.

Conclusions:

• Eco-friendly chitosan nanoparticles offer a viable and safe alternative for textile dyeing.
• The developed method demonstrates high efficiency in dye encapsulation and minimal environmental impact.
• This approach paves the way for sustainable practices in the textile dyeing industry.