Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Sustainable textile dyeing processes

  • Review
  • Published:
Environmental Chemistry Letters Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Textile effluents are characterized by high chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, total dissolved solids, pH and colour. Fabric preparation steps, such as desizing, scouring, bleaching and mercerizing, use various chemicals and plenty of water. The occurrence of unfixed dyes and other electrolytes in effluents poses serious threats to the environment. Available end-of-pipe treatment procedures are either expensive or not efficient; hence, a large number of small-scale industries succumb to this problem. So, finding an alternative eco-friendly process of textile production is of paramount interest. Here, we review three potential eco-friendly systems applicable to textile dyeing processes to minimize salt and water consumption. First, we review application of enzymatic processing in fabric preparation. Secondly, we review the use of biodegradable organic salts, such as trisodium citrate, magnesium acetate, tetrasodium edate and sodium salts of polycarboxylic acids, as fixation and exhaustion agents. Finally, we review various surface modifications of cotton to reduce the volume of effluent and total dissolved solids.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Ahmed NSE (2005) The use of sodium edate in the dyeing of cotton with reactive dyes. Dyes Pigments 65(3):221–225. doi:10.1016/j.dyepig.2004.07.014

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Battan B, Dhiman SS, Ahlawat S, Mahajan R, Sharma J (2011) Application of thermostable xylanase of Bacillus pumilus in textile processing. Indian J Microbiol 52(2):222–229. doi:10.1007/s12088-011-0118-1

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhogle S (2007) Case study on wastewater disposal practices and likely treatment options in textile processing units in Tamil Nadu. TIDE, Bangalore

  • Burkinshaw SM, Lei XP, Lewis DM, Easton JR, Parton B, Phillips DAS (1990) Modification of cotton to improve its dyeability. Part II. Pretreating cotton with a thiourea derivative of polyamide–epichlorohydrin resins. J Soc Dyers Colour 106(10):307–315. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.1990.tb01227.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Burkinshaw S, Mignanelli M, Froehling P, Bide M (2000) The use of dendrimers to modify the dyeing behaviour of reactive dyes on cotton. Dyes Pigments 47(3):259–267. doi:10.1016/S0143-7208(00)00053-X

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cavaco-Paulo A, Gübitz GM (2003) Textile processing with enzymes. Woodhead Publishing Limited, CRC Press, Cambridge

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Chattopadhyay DP, Chavan RB, Sharma JK (2007) Salt-free reactive dyeing of cotton. Int J Cloth Sci Technol 19(2):99–108. doi:10.1108/09556220710725702

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Costa SA, Tzanov T, Carneiro F, Gübitz GM, Cavaco-paulo A (2002) Recycling of textile bleaching effluents for dyeing using immobilized catalase. Biotechnol Lett 24(3):173–176. doi:10.1023/A:1014136703369

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Dalvi P, Anthappan P, Darade N, Kanoongo N, Adivarekar R (2007) Amylase and pectinase from single source for simultaneous desizing and scouring. Indian J Fibre Text Res 32(4):459–465

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Degani O, Gepstein S, Dosoretz CG (2002) Potential use of cutinase in enzymatic scouring of cotton fiber cuticle. Appl Biochem Biotechnol 102–103(1–6):277–289. doi:10.1385/ABAB:102-103:1-6:277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eldefrawy NMH, Shaalan HF (2007) Integrated membrane solutions for green textile industries. Desalination 204(1–3):241–254. doi:10.1016/j.desal.2006.03.542

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • El-Shishtawy RM, Youssef YA, Ahmed NSE, Mousa AA (2007) The use of sodium edate in dyeing: II. Union dyeing of cotton/wool blend with hetero bi-functional reactive dyes. Dyes Pigments 72(1):57–65. doi:10.1016/j.dyepig.2005.07.017

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Eren HA, Anis P, Davulcu A (2009) Enzymatic one-bath desizing—bleaching—dyeing process for cotton fabrics. Text Res J 79(12):1091–1098. doi:10.1177/0040517508099388

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Etters JN (1999) Cotton preparation with alkaline pectinase: an environmental advance. Text Chem Color Am Dyestuff 1(3):33–36

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Farha SAA, Gamal AM, Sallam HB, Mahmoud GEA, Ismail LFM (2010) Sodium edate and sodium citrate as an exhausting and fixing agents for dyeing cotton fabric with reactive dyes and reuse of dyeing effluent. J Am Sci 6(10):109–127

    Google Scholar 

  • Fukuda T, Kato-Murai M, Kuroda K, Ueda M, Suye S-I (2008) Improvement in enzymatic desizing of starched cotton cloth using yeast codisplaying glucoamylase and cellulose-binding domain. Appl Microbiol Biotechnol 77(6):1225–1232. doi:10.1007/s00253-007-1263-7

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gamal AM, Farha SAA, Sallam HB, Mahmoud GEA, Ismail LFM (2010) Kinetic study and equilibrium isotherm analysis of reactive dyes adsorption onto cotton fiber. Nat Sci 8(11):95–110

    Google Scholar 

  • Guan Y, Zheng Q, Mao Y, Gui M, Fu H (2007) Application of polycarboxylic acid sodium salt in the dyeing of cotton fabric with reactive dyes. J Appl Polym Sci 105(2):726–732. doi:10.1002/app.26091

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gunasekar V, Ponnusami V (2015) Eco-friendly textile dyeing processes. In: Lichtfouse et al (eds) Hydrogen production and remediation of carbon and pollutants. Environmental chemistry for a sustainable world, vol 6, pp 255–287. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-19375-5_6

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Guthrie JD (1947) Introduction of amino groups into cotton fabric by use of 2-aminoethylsulfuric acid. Text Res J 17:625–629. doi:10.1177/004051754701701105

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hauser PJ, Tabba AH (2001) Improving the environmental and economic aspects of cotton dyeing using a cationised cotton. Color Technol 117:282–288. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2001.tb00076.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hebeish A, Hashem M, Shaker N, Ramadan M, El-Sadek B, Hady MA (2009) New development for combined bioscouring and bleaching of cotton-based fabrics. Carbohydr Polym 78:961–972. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2009.07.019

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Jakob B (1998) The removal of starch-based sizes. I. Enzymatic breakdown—more than just desizing. Melliand Textilberichte 79(7–8):523–527

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kaki J, Luttikhedde H, Nurmi K et al (2003) Type of cationic starch product, preparation thereof and its use. US. APP. 20030177915

  • Kitkulnumchai Y, Ajavakom A, Sukwattanasinitt M (2008) Treatment of oxidized cellulose fabric with chitosan and its surface activity towards anionic reactive dyes. Cellulose 15(4):599–608. doi:10.1007/s10570-008-9214-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lewis DM, Mcilroy KA (1997) The chemical modification of cellulosic fibres to enhance dyeability. Color Technol 27(1):5–17. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.1997.tb03770.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim SH, Hudson SM (2004) Application of a fibre-reactive chitosan derivative to cotton fabric as a zero-salt dyeing auxiliary. Color Technol 120(3):108–113

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lim S-H, Lee JJ, Hinks D, Hauser P (2005) Bleaching of cotton with activated peroxide systems. Color Technol 121(2):89–95. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2005.tb00258.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ma W, Zhang S, Tang B, Yang J (2005) Pretreatment of cotton with poly (vinylamine chloride) for salt-free dyeing with reactive dyes. Color Technol 121(4):193–197. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2005.tb00272.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Montazer M, Malek RMA, Rahimi A (2007) Salt free reactive dyeing of cationized cotton. Fibers Polym 8(6):608–612. doi:10.1007/BF02875997

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moore SB (1993) Low toxicity, biodegradable salt substitute for dyeing textiles: magnesium acetate in direct or reactive dyeing of cotton, pp 1–9. Patent number 5207800, United States

  • Nielsen PH, Kuilderd H, Zhou W, Lu X (2009) Enzyme biotechnology for sustainable textiles. In: Blackburn RS (ed) Sustainable textiles: life cycle and environmental impact. Woodhead Publishing Limited, New Delhi, pp 113–138

  • Ntuli F, Ikhu-omoregbe D, Kuipa PK, Muzenda E, Belaid M (2009) Characterization of effluent from textile wet finishing operations. In: Proceedings of the world congress on engineering and computer science I: WCECS ‘09, October 20–22, 2009, San Francisco, USA, Lecture notes in engineering and computer science, pp 69–74, Newswood Limited, 2009

  • Öner E, Sahinbaskan BY (2011) A new process of combined pretreatment and dyeing: REST. J Clean Prod 19(14):1668–1675. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2011.05.008

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Patin A, Caballero G, Rodrı C, Patino A, Canal C, Rodriguez C, Navarro A, Canal JM (2011) Surface and bulk cotton fibre modifications: plasma and cationization. Influence on dyeing with reactive dye. Cellulose 18(4):1073–1083. doi:10.1007/s10570-011-9554-7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Periyasamy AP, Dhurai B, Thangamani K (2011) Salt-free dyeing—a new method of dyeing on lyocell/cotton blended fabrics with reactive dyes. Autex Res J 11(1):14–17

    Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Srivastava SN (2009) Studies on application of teak leaf powders for the removal of color from synthetic and industrial effluents. J Hazard Mater 169(1–3):1159–1162. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.03.142

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Krithika V, Madhuram R, Srivastava SN (2007) Biosorption of reactive dye using acid-treated rice-husk: factorial design analysis. J Hazard Mater 142(1–2):397–403. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2006.08.040

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Lavanya N, Meenal M, Raj RAG, Srivastava SN (2008a) Application of nitric acid treated rice husk for sorption of reactive dye reactive black 5: analysis using statistical experimental design. Pollut Res 27(1):45–48

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Vikram S, Srivastava SN (2008b) Guava (Psidium guajava) leaf powder: novel adsorbent for removal of methylene blue from aqueous solutions. J Hazard Mater 152(1):276–286. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2007.06.107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ponnusami V, Gunasekar V, Srivastava SN (2009) Kinetics of methylene blue removal from aqueous solution using gulmohar (Delonix regia) plant leaf powder: multivariate regression analysis. J Hazard Mater 169(1–3):119–127. doi:10.1016/j.jhazmat.2009.03.066

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Prabhu KH, Karthikeyan N, Shyam Sundar P (2006) Combined bio-polishing and bleaching of cotton. Int Dyer 191:27–31

    Google Scholar 

  • Prabu HG, Sundrarajan M (2002) Effect of the bio-salt trisodium citrate in the dyeing of cotton. Color Technol 118(3):131–134. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2002.tb00370.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pratibha R, Malar P, Rajapriya T, Balapoornima S, Ponnusami V (2010) Statistical and equilibrium studies on enhancing biosorption capacity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae through acid treatment. Desalination 264:102–107

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ramasamy R, Abdelbagi H, Ahmed M, Karthik SS (2012) Development of microbial consortium for the biodegradation and biodecolorization of textile effluents. J Urban Env Eng 6(1):36–41. doi:10.4090/juee.2012.v6n1.036041

  • Saravanan D, Ramachandran T (2007) Efficiency and evaluation of amylases in desizing. Asian Dyer 4(6):64–67

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sawada K, Ueda M (2001) Enzyme processing of textiles in reverse micellar solution. J Biotechnol 89(2–3):263–269. doi:10.1016/S0168-1656(01)00310-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shafie AE, Fouda MMG, Hashem M (2009) One-step process for bio-scouring and peracetic acid bleaching of cotton fabric. Carbohydr Polym 78(2):302–308. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2009.04.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sheth GN, Musaie A (2003) Application of biotechnology to desizing of cotton fabrics. BTRA Scan 33(2):18–21

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Špička N, Tavčer PF (2011) Glucose oxidases—potential enzymes for bleaching textile fibres. Tekstilec 54(1–3):16–29

    Google Scholar 

  • Tanapongpipat A, Khamman C, Pruksathorm K, Hunsom M (2008) Process modification in the scouring process of textile industry. J Clean Prod 16(1):152–158. doi:10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.06.016

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Teng X, Ma W, Zhang S (2010) Application of tertiary amine cationic polyacrylamide with high cationic degree in salt-free dyeing of reactive dyes. Chin J Chem Eng 18(6):1023–1028. doi:10.1016/S1004-9541(09)60163-4

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tian L, Branford-white C, Wang W, Nie H, Zhu L (2012) Laccase-mediated system pretreatment to enhance the effect of hydrogen peroxide bleaching of cotton fabric. Int J Biol Macromol 50(3):782–787. doi:10.1016/j.ijbiomac.2011.11.025

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanov T, Calafell M, Guebitz GM, Cavaco-Paulo A (2001) Bio-preparation of cotton fabrics. Enzym Microb Technol 29(6–7):357–362. doi:10.1016/S0141-0229(01)00388-X

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanov T, Costa SA, Gübitz GM, Cavaco-Paulo A (2002) Hydrogen peroxide generation with immobilized glucose oxidase for textile bleaching. J Biotechnol 93(1):87–94. doi:10.1016/S0168-1656(01)00386-8

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tzanov T, Basto C, Gübitz GM, Cavaco-Paulo A (2003) Laccases to improve the whiteness in a conventional: bleaching of cotton. Macromol Mater Eng 288(10):807–810. doi:10.1002/mame.200300100

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang H, Lewis DM (2002) Chemical modification of cotton to improve fibre dyeability. Color Technol 118(4):159–168. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2002.tb00094.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang Q, Fan X, Hua Z, Gao W, Chen J (2007) Degradation kinetics of pectins by an alkaline pectinase in bioscouring of cotton fabrics. Carbohydr Polym 67(4):572–575. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2006.06.031

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wei MA, Shu-fen Z, Jin-zong Y (2005) Development of functional polymers in modification of cotton for improving dyeability of reactive dyes. In: Proceedings of the 3rd international conference on functional molecules, pp 69–75

  • Wu TS, Chen KM (1992) New cationic agents for improving the dyeability of cellulose fibres. Part 1—pretreating cotton with polyepichlorohydrin-amine polymers for improving dyeability with direct dyes. J Soc Dyers Colour 108(9):388–394. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.1992.tb01486.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wu TS, Chen KM (1993) New cationic agents for improving the dyeability of cellulose fibres. Part 2—pretreating cotton with polyepichlorohydrin-amine polymers for improving dyeability with reactive dyes. J Soc Dyers Colour 109(4):153–158. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.1993.tb01547.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang S, Ma W, Ju B, Dang N, Zhang M (2005) Continuous dyeing of cationised cotton with reactive dyes. Color Technol 121(4):183–186

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Chen Y, Lin H, Lu Y (2007) Synthesis of an amino-terminated hyperbranched polymer and its application in reactive dyeing on cotton as a salt-free dyeing auxiliary. Color Technol 123(6):351–357. doi:10.1111/j.1478-4408.2007.00108.x

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang F, Chen Y, Lin H, Wang H, Zhao B (2008) HBP-NH2 grafted cotton fiber: preparation and salt-free dyeing properties. Carbohydr Polym 74(2):250–256. doi:10.1016/j.carbpol.2008.02.006

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zhigang H (2008) Chitosan nanoparticles for functional textile finishes. The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. http://hdl.handle.net/10397/3949

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Chemical and Biotechnology, SASTRA University, Thirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur, 613401, India

    Gunasekar Varadarajan & Ponnusami Venkatachalam

Authors
  1. Gunasekar Varadarajan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Ponnusami Venkatachalam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ponnusami Venkatachalam.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Varadarajan, G., Venkatachalam, P. Sustainable textile dyeing processes. Environ Chem Lett 14, 113–122 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-015-0533-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10311-015-0533-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation