Bleaching of silk with reducing agents

Silk fibrion is highly sensitive to oxidising agents like hypochlorite and chlorite solutions. Oxidation and substitution in the benzene ring of tyrosine is responsible for degradation of silk with the formation of chloro-amino acids, ketonic acids and chloramine in several stages [105]. 

Reduction bleaching of silk is generally carried out with sodium hydrosulphite or appropriate stabilised commercial products on this basis. The silk fibrion is 

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