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Isolation of Keratin from Waste Wool Using Hydrothermal Processes
Acta Chimica Slovenica
|November 5, 2021
Summary
Subcritical water extraction efficiently isolates keratin from waste wool, achieving high yields (up to 90.3%) under optimized conditions. This eco-friendly method offers a promising alternative for keratin recovery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Biochemistry
- Sustainable Chemistry
Background:
- Waste wool presents a significant disposal challenge.
- Keratin, a valuable biopolymer, is abundant in wool.
- Efficient and sustainable methods for keratin extraction are needed.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the efficacy of subcritical water (SubCW) extraction for isolating keratin from waste wool.
- To optimize extraction parameters including temperature and time.
- To characterize the extracted keratin and compare yields with conventional methods.
Main Methods:
- Subcritical water extraction at temperatures ranging from 150 °C to 250 °C and reaction times of 5–75 min.
- Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) for protein confirmation.
- Sodium dodecyl sulfate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and gel permeation chromatography for molecular weight determination.
Main Results:
- SubCW extraction successfully isolated keratin from waste wool with high yields.
- Maximal yield of 90.3% was achieved at 180 °C and 60 min.
- Extracted keratin exhibited molecular weight distributions between 4 kDa and 14 kDa, comparable to chemically extracted keratin.
Conclusions:
- Subcritical water extraction is a highly effective and high-yield method for recovering keratin from waste wool.
- This approach offers a sustainable alternative to traditional chemical extraction methods.
- Optimized SubCW conditions provide valuable protein extracts suitable for various applications.
