title: Development of a biotechnological process for the production of high quality linen fibers.
abstract: A novel biotechnological process for the production of high-quality flax fibers was developed. In this process, decorticated fibers from green flax were washed with 0.5% soda solution and treated with the pectinolytic strain Geobacillus thermoglucosidasius PB94A. Before drying the fibers, they were treated with the textile softener Adulcinol BUN. If the fibers contained contaminant shives, a bleaching step with hydrogen peroxide was performed before the softener treatment. In experiments where fibers were treated by the new process, and in which the bacterial solutions were reused seven times, the fiber quality was similar in all batches. The resolution of the treated fibers was 2.7 ± 0.4 and the fineness was 11.1 ± 1.1 dtex, while the starting material had a resolution of 7.3 and a fineness of 37 dtex. The new biotechnological treatment eliminates the weather-associated risks of the traditional fiber retting completely and produces consistently high-quality fibers that can be used to produce fine linen yarns.
authors.affiliation: Technische Universität Hamburg-Harburg, Institut für Technische Biokatalyse, Denickestraße 15, 21073 Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Ana Gabriela
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Valladares Juárez
authors.forename: Gernot
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Rost
authors.forename: Uwe
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Heitmann
authors.forename: Egon
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Heger
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller
mesh_terms: D001709:Biotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D019597:Flax / Q000737:chemistry*; D056506:Geobacillus / Q000201:enzymology* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010368:Pectins / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D011096:Polygalacturonase / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D011133:Polysaccharide-Lyases / Q000096:biosynthesis / Q000737:chemistry*; D013784:Textiles
chemical_list: D010368:Pectins; D011096:Polygalacturonase; D011133:Polysaccharide-Lyases; C027349:pectin lyase