Industrial textile processing methods

Since the 1990s, much research has been undertaken to develop enzymatic processing methods as an alternative to replace conventional textile processing methods. As described in Section 4.3, some of these processes have become routine industrial processes. Technical or cost constraints may prevent some of the bioprocessing techniques that have been developed from being viable industrially. 

The photo-Fenton processes are explored as photochemical pretreatment of nonbiodegradable and ubiquitous environmental pollutants and/or extremely toxic compoimds in wastewaters, such as persistent organic dyes under visible light irradiation (151,154,180,181) and under UV irradiation (139,182), azo dye factory wastewaters (140,162,183-185), herbicides (186-188), pesticides (152,153,189,190), insecticides (191), pharmaceuticals and wastewaters from medical laboratories (192-197), smdactants (198), industrial effluents with persistent toxic pollutants (199), industrial solvents and wastewaters (167,200), chlorinated solvents (201), and municipal wastewater (202). The photo-Fenton process was proposed to improve the biodegradability of especially biorecalcitrant wastewater, coming from textile industry, and the method was also suggested for water disinfection (203-205). 

Medicinal oils represent the most refined of the bulk petroleum products, especially when the principal use is for the pharmaceutical industry. Thus mineral oil destined for pharmaceutical purposes must meet stringent specifications to ensure that the oil is inert and that it does not contain any materials that are suspected to be toxic. Technical mineral oil (as opposed to pharmaceutical mineral oil) must meet much less stringent specifications requirements because the use is generally for transformer oil, cosmetic preparations (such as hair cream), in the plastics industry, and in textiles processing. Many of the same test methods are applied to all mineral oils, although the specifications will differ and oils for different uses will have to meet different standards of purity. 

The interest for the application of this methodology to evaluate the level of sustainability in textile processes and products is currently increasing however, this is still quite scarce, especially for those apphcations involving textile industries and products. There are two different approaches to determine the EF compound and component methods. The component method, which is based on life cycle data for each individual component involved in calculations, is the most appropriate for the evaluation of production processes and products including textile products and supply chain. 

Sterilization is a term referring to any process that eliminates or kills all forms of microbial life, including transmissible agents such as fungi, bacteria, viruses, spore, etc., which are present on a surface or contained in a fluid or a compound such as a medical textile material. Sterilization can be achieved by applying heat, chemicals, irradiation, high pressure, or filtration. In the medical textile industry, the main methods used to sterilize products are heat, ethylene oxide, gamma irradiation, and electron radiation. 

The textile industry requires large amounts of water, energy, and auxiliary chemicals [147]. The search for environmental-friendly methods has lead to the utilization of enzymes. Several enzymes have been used in textile processes in order to achieve improved and fashionable fabric properties. Among other enzymes for textile processing, amylases (used for desizing), cellulases (denim finishing), laccase (decolourization of textile effluents and textile bleaching) are commercially available [148, 149]. 

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