Bio Tech

Textiles:
Future
Trend
By: R. Gokilavani & D. Gopalakrishnan
 Bio Tech Textiles – Future Trend
By: R. Gokilavani & D. Gopalakrishnan

Department of zoology, Michael Job arts & Science college, Sulur, Coimbatore Sardar
Vallabhbhai Patel Institute of Textile Management, 1483, Avinashi road, Peelamedu,
Coimbatore – 641 004

Biotechnology defined as the application of living organisms and their components to

industrial products and processes is not an industry in itself, but an important technology that will
have a large impact on many different industrial sectors in the future. In textile processing the
enzymatic removal of starch sizes from woven fabrics has been in use for most of this century
and the fermentation vat is probably the oldest known dyeing process. Biotechnology a new
impetus in the last few years has been the very rapid developments in genetic manipulation
techniques (genetic engineering) which introduces the possibility of 'tailoring' organisms in order
to optimize the production of established or novel metabolites of commercial importance and of
transferring genetic material (genes) from one organism to another.

Biotechnology also offers the potential for new industrial processes that require less
energy and are based on renewable raw materials. It is important to note that biotechnology is not
just concerned with biology, but it is a truly interdisciplinary subject involving the integration of
natural and engineering sciences. Biotechnology is like an enormous “factory” which not only
provides other industries with innovative ideas, but also supplies the appropriate know-how. Now
familiar with the application of modern biotechnology in medicine and agriculture: so-called red
and green biotechnology. There is less general awareness of the white variety: the use of
biotechnology for industrial applications. Cheese production, golden rice, the manufacture of
insulin and interferon, biosensors, enzymes in detergents - these are all examples of
biotechnology in action, a sector that is constantly growing and expanding into other industrial
sectors, a true driving force of interdisciplinary applications. The current trend deals with the
potential of biotechnology in the textile industry.

1. Introduction

Textile production involved the exclusive use of natural fibers: cotton, hemp, flax, etc. The
invention of synthetic fibers in the 20th century broadened the application range of textile
materials enormously. Great improvements have been made in technical textiles since the 1980s
which now account for approximately 40 percent of the entire textile production. Therefore, their
huge innovation potential makes them the driving force in the growing textile industry. Invention
of Modern Fabrics specific interdisciplinary partnerships between the most diverse scientific fields
enables the industry to combine several functionalities in one material. The new fabrics may be
breathable, temperature-regulating, lightweight, shock-proof, water and dirt repellent and a lot
more.

It is, in particular, this multifunctionality which broadens the application of these modern
fabrics, which, apart from being used as clothing, can be used in car manufacture, space
technology, agriculture or biomedical technology. Innovative materials are also found in the field
of medicine and many applications are possible, ranging from tissue engineering to wound
dressings and implants. In the field of biomedical technology, biologists and engineers cooperate
closely and develop biomaterials and implants as well as methods enabling the regeneration of
tissue, for example three-dimensional, shapeable fleeces in which the patients’ own cartilage
cells can be grown.

New opportunities for modern textiles have also opened up in the treatment of wounds. In
view of the growing number of elderly people and diabetics in modern society, the treatment of
problematic wounds is a major application area of such textiles. Innovative medical textiles will no
doubt play an important role in the treatment of wounds and skin in future. The integration of
therapeutic substances turns textiles into innovative medical products.
Major applications of biotechnology in the textile industry

™ Improvement of plant varieties used in the production of textile fibres and in fibre
properties.
™ Improvement of fibres derived from animals and health care of the animals.
™ Novel fibres from biopolymers and genetically modified micro-organisms
™ Replacement of harsh and energy demanding chemical treatments by enzymes in textile
processing
™ Environmentally friendly routes to textile auxiliaries such as dyestuffs
™ Novel uses for enzymes in textile finishing
™ Development of low energy enzyme based detergents
™ New diagnostic tools for detection of adulteration and Quality Control of textiles
™ Waste management

2. Fibres and Biopolymers

Nature has provided us with textile fibres such as cotton, wool and silk but there is now
the potential to harness biotechnology and produce new or modified fibres as well as improving
the production yields of existing fibres. Cotton has the unfortunate characteristic of being
vulnerable to many insects, and to maintain yields, these insects are managed with large
amounts of pesticides. Cotton is also prone to infestation by weeds which thrive under the intense
irrigation conditions that cotton needs throughout its growth cycle and cotton has poor tolerance
to any of the herbicides in use today. It is not surprising, therefore, that biotechnology companies
have focused their short term objectives on genetically engineering insect, disease and herbicide
resistance into the cotton plant.

Longer term goals include the modification of fibre quality and properties (e.g. length and
strength) leading to the development of high performance cottons. There is already a small
market for naturally colored cottons but the colour range that has been developed using classical
selection techniques is limited. The development of transgenic intensely coloured cottons (e.g.
blues and vivid reds) could one day replace the need for bleaches and dyes.

Biotechnology is expected to have a very large impact on animal fibre production. A

whole range of new technologies are now available including in vitro fertilization and embryo
transfer, diagnostics, genetically engineered vaccines and therapeutic drugs. Genetic
modification of sheep to resist attack from blowfly larvae by engineering a sheep that secretes an
insect repellent from its hair follicles and 'biological wool shearing'. The latter technique relies on
an artificial epidermal growth factor which when injected into sheep interrupts hair growth. A
month later, breaks appear in the wool fibre and the fleece can be pulled off whole in half the time
it takes to shear a sheep. There is also considerable research being carried out in several
countries with the aim of producing finer and therefore more valuable wool’s from sheep.

2.1. Novel Fibres

Novel fibre-forming biopolymers are now being manufactured using large-scale

fermentation equipment. For example, the bacterial storage compound polyhydroxybutyrate
(PHB) has been developed by Zeneca Bioproducts (formerly ICI Agricultural Division) and is
produced under the trade name 'Biopol'. This high molecular weight linear polyester has good
thermoplastic properties (melting point 180°C) and can be melt spun into fibres. Biocompatibility
and biodegradability makes PHB fibres ideally suited for surgical use; sutures made from PHB
are slowly degraded by the body's enzymes.

Zeneca is currently using Biopol in conventional plastics applications such as shampoo

bottles. The price of the polymer is still considered too high for many fibre applications and
ultimately Biopol might be produced by plants. Zeneca seeds are experimenting with a genetically
engineered variety of rape which can synthesis Biopol. Synthetic fibres made from renewable
sources of biomass are environmentally sustainable, and are becoming increasingly economically
sustainable. Biodegradable synthetic polymers include novel fibres such as polyglycolic acid and
polylactic acid, which are made from natural starting materials. Not all novel fibres are synthetic;
they may also be naturally derived.
Figure.1. Cross-sections of novel fibers obtained by optical microscopy.

Some natural biological fibres come from basic materials found in nature, including:

Chitin – a type of sugar polymer found in crustaceans

Collagen – a type of protein found in animal connective tissue
Alginate – a type of sugar polymer found in certain bacteria

A prime example of a synthetic biomass fibre is Polylactic Acid (PLA), which is made by
fermenting cornstarch or glucose into lactic acid, and then chemically transforming it into a
polymer fibre. With properties similar to other synthetic fibres, PLA based materials are durable
with a silky feel, and may be blended with wool or cotton.

Figure .2. Schematic diagrams of the model describing the process of lead adsorption on
cellulose/chitin beads:

(a) Formation of complexation, (b) adsorption of addition lead, (c) micro precipitations

2.2. Polylactic Acid (PLA)

PLA has potential applications in several areas, including the following:

Textiles – clothing, fashions, and upholstery

Agriculture – plant mats, tree nets, soil erosion control products

Sanitation – household wipes, diaper products

Medicine – disposable garments, medical textiles

PLA minimizes environmental waste, as it may be fully biodegraded by microorganisms

under appropriate conditions into carbon dioxide and water. Unlike the non-renewable petroleum
resources used to make traditional synthetic fibres, the supply of renewable corn biomass needed
to make PLA is expected to surpass demand in the anticipated future. Biodegradable synthetic
fibres and natural biological fibres may be used to make textiles for medical applications.
Polymer Uses
Polylactic Acid and Used in sutures, absorbable wound closure products, orthopedic
Polyglycolic Acid repair absorbable pins, and fixation devices, as well as in tissue
engineering structures
Chitin Incorporated into wound dressings
Collagen Uses in cell engineering structures, such as in artificial skin, or even
as surgeon’s thread
Alginate Used to protect and interact with wounds

Table.1. Bio Polymers used in medical textiles

Other biopolymers currently in wound-healing applications include the polysaccharides

chitin, alginate, dextrin and hyaluronic acid. Chitin and its derivative chitosan are important
components of fungal cell walls although these polymers are, at present manufactured from sea
food (shellfish) wastes. The use of intact fungal filaments as a direct source of chitin or chitosan
fibre to produce inexpensive wound dressings and other novel materials. Tests carried out at the
Welsh School of Pharmacy indicate that these products have wound healing acceleration
properties. Wound dressings based on calcium alginate fibres have already been developed by
Courtaulds and are marketed under the trade name 'Sorbsan'.

Present supplies of this polysaccharide rely on its extraction from brown seaweed’s.
However, a polymer of similar structure can also be produced by fermentation from certain
species of bacteria. Dextran, which is manufactured by the fermentation of sucrose by
Leuconostoc mesenteroides or related species of bacteria, is also being developed as a fibrous
non-woven for speciality end-uses such as wound dressings. Additional biopolymers, not
previously available on a large scale are now coming onto the market thanks to biotechnology.
One such example is hyaluronic acid a polydisaccharide of D-glucuronic acid and N-acetyl
glucosamine found in the connective tissue matrices of vertebrates and is also present in the
capsules of some bacteria.

The original method of production by extraction from rooster combs was very inefficient
requiring 5kg of rooster combs to provide 4g of hyaluronic acid. Fermentech, a British
biotechnology company, is now producing hyaluronic acid by fermentation. The same amount of
high quality purified hyaluronic acid can be obtained from 4 litres of fermentation broth as
opposed to 5kg of rooster combs.

Two different biotechnological routes for the production of cellulose are under
investigation in various laboratories throughout the world. Cellulose is produced as an extra
cellular polysaccharide by a number of different bacteria in the form of ribbon-like micro fibrils.
These can be used to produce moulded materials of relatively high strength. An alternative route
to cellulose, still at a very early stage of development, concerns the in vitro cultivation of plant
cells. It has already been demonstrated that cotton fibres can be produced in vitro by culturing
cells of various strains of Gossypium.

The potential advantages of this route include a more uniform product displaying
particularly desirable properties. Plant tissue culture can provide a steady, all year supply of
products without climatic or geographic limitations free of contamination from pests. Another
group of biopolymers of particular interest to biotechnologists are proteins because of the scope
for utilizing the new genetic manipulation techniques. Thus genes for animal and plant proteins
(e.g. collagen, various silks) can now be transferred into suitable microbial hosts and the proteins
produced by fermentation. The US army is keen to develop spider silk as a high performance
fibre for use in products such as bullet proof vests.

3. Enzymes

The mediation of chemical reactions by catalytic proteins (enzymes) is a central feature

of living systems. Living cells make enzymes although the enzymes themselves are not alive and
we can encourage living cells to make more enzymes than they would normally make or to make
a slightly different type of enzyme (protein engineering) with improved characteristics of
specificity, stability and performance in industrial processes. These enzymes usually operate
under mild conditions of pH and temperature. Many enzymes exhibit great specificity and stereo
selectivity.
With the notable exception of starch-size removal by amylases, scant attention has been given to
the application of enzymes in textile processing. The preparation of certain textile fibres such as
flax and hemp by dew-retting involves the action of pectolytic enzymes from various micro-
organisms which degrade pectin in the middle lamella of these plant fibres. The use of isolated
enzymes to remove fats and waxes, pectin’s, seed-coat material and coloured impurities from
loom state cotton and cotton/polyester fabrics, leading to a novel, low energy fabric-preparation
process to replace scouring and bleaching.

Using existing commercial enzyme preparations due to the recalcitrant nature of some of
the components and the process was found to be too slow and therefore uneconomic for current
applications. One enzyme that is already being applied in textile processing for the removal of
hydrogen peroxide prior to dyeing is catalase. The use of microbial enzymes can be expected to
expand into many other areas of the textile industry replacing existing chemical or mechanical
processes in the not too distant future. In contrast to textile processing there has been a dramatic
increase in the use of enzymes in detergents since their introduction in the 1960's. Washing
powders are referred to as ‘biological’ because they contain enzymes.

Enzymes are now available that can degrade a wide range of stains and their use allows
milder washing conditions at lower temperatures which both saves energy and protects the fabric.
Recently it was discovered that cellulase enzymes could replace the pumice stones used by
industry to produce 'stone-washed' denim garments. The stones can damage the clothes,
particularly the hems and waistbands, and most manufacturers are now using the enzyme
treatment. Another novel application for cellulase enzymes is in biopolishing, the removal of fuzz
from the surface of cellulosic fibres which eliminates pilling making the fabrics smoother and
cleaner-looking. A similar process using protease enzymes has been developed for wool.

Enzymes Actions
Remove stains caused by proteins such as blood, grass, egg and
Protease
human sweat
Remove starch-based stains such as those made by potatoes,
Amylase
pasta, rice and custard
Break down fats, oils and greases removing stains based on salad
Lipase oils, butter, fat-based sauces and soups, and certain cosmetics
such as lipstick
Brighten and soften the fabric, and release particles of dirt trapped
Cellulase
in the fibres

Table.2.Action of enzymes

More futuristic applications for enzymes are in the field of biotransformation. A

biotransformation is defined as the biocatalytic transformation of one chemical to another. In
practice, either intact cells, an extract from such cells or an isolated enzyme may be used as the
catalyst system of a specific reaction. Although the concentration of individual enzymes in cells is
typically less than 1 per cent this can now be increased using gene amplification techniques. It is
not expected that the current production of bulk chemicals by oil-based processes will be
replaced by biotransformation, at least in the foreseeable future. However, there are areas where
biotechnology can be expected to compete with chemical synthesis. The requirement for optical
activity of chemicals such as polymer precursors is likely to grow and here the biotransformation
route has a particular edge over traditional chemical methods.

3.1. Cellulases and cellulose

Cellulases have had the most impact on textile processing in recent years. Current
commercial applications include "biostoning", "biopolishing" and as laundering "brightners" of
cotton fabrics. There is a fine balance between producing the desired effect and causing
excessive damage to the fibres leading to an unacceptable loss in strength. The use of mono-
component endoglucanase or endoglucanase-enriched cellulase complexes together with a high
level of mechanical agitation can achieve the desired performance with only a limited loss of
tensile strength. Most of this work had been done using woven cotton fabrics. Steaming
increased the accessibility of the yarns to the enzymes. The resulting decrease in hairiness and
tendency towards pilling was mainly attributed to endoglucanase activity.
4. Enzyme Biotechnology in Textiles

Through biotechnology, enzymes are used to treat and modify fibres during textile manufacturing,
processing, and in caring for the product afterwards. Some applications include:

4.1. De-sizing of cotton

Untreated cotton threads can break easily when being woven into fabrics. To prevent this
breakage, they are coated with a jelly-like substance through a process called sizing. However,
after the threads have been woven into fabrics, the agents needed to further finish the material
cannot adhere to the jelly-coated fabrics. Thus, the protective sizing agents must be removed by
a process called de-sizing. Amylase enzymes are widely used in de-sizing, as they do not
weaken or affect cotton fibres, nor do they harm the environment.

4.2. Retting of flax

Flax plants are an important source of textile fibres. Useful flax fibres are separated from
the plant's tough stems through a process called retting. Traditional retting methods consume
large quantities of water and energy. Bacteria, which may be bred or genetically engineered to
contain necessary enzymes, can be used to make this a more energy efficient process.

4.3. Breakdown of hydrogen peroxide

When cotton is bleached, a chemical called hydrogen peroxide, which can react with
other dyes, remains on the fabric. Catalase enzymes specifically break down hydrogen peroxide
and may be used to remove this reactive chemical before further dyeing.

4.4. Biostoning and Biopolishing

Instead of using abrasive tools like pumice stones to create a stonewashed effect or to
remove surface fuzz, cellulase enzymes may be used to effectively stonewash and polish fabrics
without abrasively damaging the fibres.

4.5. Detergents

An enzyme allows detergents to effectively clean clothes and remove stains. They can
remove certain stains, such as those made by grass and sweat, more effectively than enzyme-
free detergents. Without enzymes, a lot of energy would be required to create the high
temperatures and vigorous shaking needed to clean clothes effectively. Enzymes used in laundry
detergents must be inexpensive, stable, and safe to use. Currently, only protease and amylase
enzymes are incorporated into detergents. Lipase enzymes break down too easily in washing
machines to be very useful in detergents. However, their stability is being studied and further
developed through methods such as genetic screening and modification.

4.6. Textile Auxiliaries

Textile auxiliaries such as dyes could be produced by fermentation or from plants in the
future, before the invention of synthetic dyes in the nineteenth century many of the colours used
to dye textiles came from plants e.g. indigo and madder. Many micro-organisms produce
pigments during their growth which are substantive as indicated by the permanent staining that is
often associated with mildew growth on textiles and plastics. It is not unusual for some species to
produce up to 30% of their dry weight as pigment. Several of these microbial pigments have been
shown to be benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, anthraquinone, perinaphthenone and
benzofluoranthenequinone derivatives, resembling in some instances the important group of vat
dyes.

Micro-organisms would therefore seem to offer great potential for the direct production of
novel textile dyes or dye intermediates by controlled fermentation techniques replacing chemical
synthesis which has inherent waste disposal problems (e.g. toxic heavy metal compounds).
Another biotechnological route for producing pigments for use in the food, cosmetics or textile
industries is from plant cell culture. One of the major success stories of plant biotechnology so far
has been the commercial production since 1983 in Japan of the red pigment shikonin which has
been incorporated into a new range of cosmetics.
Traditionally, shikonin was extracted from the roots of five year old plants of the species
Lithosperum erythrorhiz where it makes up about 1 to 2 percent of the dry weight of the roots. In
tissue culture, pigment yields of about 15 percent of the dry weight of the root cells have been
achieved.

5. Waste Management

Biotechnology can be used in new production processes that are themselves less
polluting than the traditional processes and microbes or their enzymes are already being used to
degrade toxic wastes. Waste treatment is probably the biggest industrial application of
biotechnology. Specific problems pertaining to the textile industry include colour removal from dye
house effluent, toxic heavy metal compounds and pentachlorophenol used overseas as a rot-
proofing treatment of cotton fabrics but washed out during subsequent processing in the
developed countries.

6. Innovative textiles by biotechnology

The textile industry explores new fields

Specific interdisciplinary partnerships between the most diverse scientific fields enable
the industry to combine several functionalities in one material. The new fabrics may be
breathable, temperature-regulating, lightweight, shock-proof, water and dirt repellent .This
multifunctional which broadens the application of these modern fabrics, which, apart from being
used as clothing, can be used in car manufacture, space technology, agriculture or biomedical
technology.

6.1. Textiles in medicine

Innovative materials are also found in the field of medicine and many applications are
possible, ranging from tissue engineering to wound dressings and implants. In the field of
biomedical technology, biologists and engineers cooperate closely and develop biomaterials and
implants as well as methods enabling the regeneration of tissue, for example resorbable, three-
dimensional, shapeable fleeces in which the patients’ own cartilage cells can be grown. New
opportunities for modern textiles have also opened up in the treatment of wounds. In view of the
growing number of elderly people and diabetics in modern society, the treatment of problematic
wounds is a major application area of such textiles. In Germany alone, there are approximately 2
million patients every year suffering from severe and chronic wounds. Innovative medical textiles
will important role in the treatment of wounds and skin in future. The integration of therapeutic
substances turns textiles into innovative medical products.

6.2. Intelligent technical textiles

An intelligent technical textile is another interdisciplinary example of innovative textiles

used in the field of health and safety. These are textiles with integrated Microsystems used in
clinical applications for measuring and monitoring of vital parameters such as blood pressure,
pulse or breathing.

6.3. Virtual design of new textiles

In the past, the development of new textile structures for innovative areas of application
was based on real experiments involving all kinds of different fibre shapes and mixtures.
Nowadays, the properties of the material can be determined in advance using computers.
Specific properties can be tested in order to develop the best product possible. Microstructure
simulation technology enabling the properties of highly-complex materials and the design of new
textiles for application in medicine and hygiene.
6.4. Nano Finishing

Nature has come up with surfaces to which dirt is unable to attach thanks to complex
micro- and nanostructures. The self-cleaning effect of such extraordinary hydrophobic micro- and
nanostructured plant surfaces was discovered and clarified by W. Barthlott at the University of
Heidelberg in 1975. 'the lotus effect' of plants to textile surfaces, the lotus effect is huge not only
for outdoor clothing and marquees, but also in medicine Another innovative material is polylactide
(PLA), which can be found in biodegradable catering dishes or packaging and which has become
a popular material among clothing manufacturers. Polylactides are a natural product, made from
plant carbons. In contrast to nylon and polyester fibres made from non-renewable petrol, PLA
uses carbon that is absorbed by maize plants during photosynthesis from the air.

Figure.1. Lotus effect finishes (Source: BIOPRO)

The progress now being made in biotechnology and the current level of investment by
governments and individual companies has enormous commercial implications for many sectors
of industry in the years ahead. Biotechnology has already developed new products, opened up
new markets, speeded up production and helped to clean up the environment. The textile industry
was identified as a key sector where opportunities available from adapting biotechnology are high
but current awareness of biotechnology is low.

The potential applications of conventionally produced textile materials in biotechnological

processes. For example, downstream processing after fermentation accounts for at least 70% of
production costs in biotechnology and there is the need for improved filtration and separation
techniques. Hollow fibres and membranes which separate molecules according to size are finding
increased application in this area.

6.5. Nature of white biotechnology

The various industrial applications of biotechnology have a number of things in common, both
in terms of improved output and reduced environmental footprint. They can deliver some or all of
the following benefits:

™ Reduce water use and traditional chemicals

™ Reduce use of energy, and thus lower levels of CO2 emissions. Conversion of many
existing chemical processes will make a significant contribution towards meeting the
targets set by the Kyoto treaty.
™ Increase the use of renewable resources, whether as chemical feed stocks or fuels.
Growing rather than extracting will reduce the use of fossil fuels and be carbon-neutral.
™ Biotechnological processes, because they are precisely targeted, can be used to make
new materials and higher quality materials more cost effectively, with less waste.
™ Cell cultures are unique in their capacity to make new pharmaceuticals and vaccines
which could not otherwise be made
™ Bio-based industries can also give a major boost to European agriculture by for example
sourcing high-value raw materials from farmers, providing new alternatives for agricultural
land use and using agricultural waste to build value: a clear contribution towards a
sustainable rural economy.

White biotechnology is highly selective. For example, Vitamin B2 can be made using a one
step bioprocess rather than by a chemical synthesis that makes mixtures which then have to be
separated using precious water and energy resources. In doing so waste by-products are
produced which then need to be treated. This is why introducing bioprocesses into production can
help companies produce cheaper, cleaner and often superior products.
7. Current trend

Chemicals, textiles and leather, food, animal feed, paper and pulp, energy, metals and
minerals and waste processing are industries already using biotechnology processes today.
Bioprocesses already account for 15 million tons a year of chemical products including organic
and amino acids, antibiotics, industrial and food enzymes, fine chemicals as well as active
ingredients for crop protection, pharmaceutical products and fuel ethanol.

Three out of four of the large volume chemical reactions employed in today’s industry are
so called oxidation processes, used for example in the production of plastics. These are the least
sustainable of all chemical reactions. If bioprocesses could replace oxidation, then white biotech
would profoundly change the industry and deliver real sustainability gains. Similar process will be
played out in other sectors: textiles, pulp and paper and energy.

8. Future scope

Biotechnology has already developed new products, opened up new markets, speeded
up production and helped to clean up the environment. In our forthcoming edition, the field
touches the opportunities one can explore in the application of biotechnology in the textile
industry. In the past, eco industries have mainly been associated with end of pipe technologies
focussing on waste treatment rather than waste prevention.

Modern industrial white biotechnologies are preventative, focussing on cleaner

manufacturing processes to minimize waste in the first place. White biotech uses the same tools
as nature namely micro-organisms like moulds, yeasts or bacteria and enzymes as cell factories
to make goods and services like antibiotics, vitamins, detergents and bio-fuels. White biotech
can also use cell cultures, derived from animal cells, to yield new pharmaceuticals and vaccines.
Future large scale applications of the technology will enormously contribute to the objectives of
sustainable consumption and production on the one hand and wealth generation on the other.

9. Conclusion

Applying the knowledge of biological processes and biochemistry collectively,

biotechnology will enable sustainable, environmentally benign global development to be achieved
and the development of the bio-based economy, where intelligent applications of biology become
the main driving factor behind growth and wealth creation. White biotechnology has tremendous
potential to transform energy production and lead to more sustainable industrial processes.

It can play a significant role in reducing greenhouse gases, the use of fossil fuels and raw
materials, leading to cleaner and greener industries. In sourcing raw materials from agriculture,
white biotech can additionally contribute to a more competitive. The potential applications of
conventionally produced textile materials in biotechnological processes. Hollow fibres and
membranes which separate molecules according to size are finding increased application in this
area. In downstream processing after fermentation accounts for at least 70 percent of production
costs in biotechnology and there is the need for improved filtration and separation techniques.

References

1. Commission Communication COM (2002) 27 “Life science and biotechnology - A Strategy for
Europe”

2. Commission Report COM (2002) 122 “Environmental technology for sustainable development”

3. US Presidential Executive Order 13134: “Developing and Promoting Biobased Products and
Bioenergy” (a plan to triple the sector by 2010)

4. Biopolymer Research and Development in Europe and Japan. Retieved December 2, 2002
from www.wws.princeton.edu/cgi-

5. Byrne, Chris. (1995). Biotechnology in Textiles. Retrieved November 6, 2002 from

www.davidrigbyassociates.co.uk/assets/Biotechnology.pdf

6. Plant/crop-based renewable resources 2020 - a vision to enhance U.S. economic security

through renewable plant/crop-based resource use (DOE/GO-10097-385 January 1998)
7. Enzymes Illustrated, Retrieved October 25, 2002 from the Novozymes Web site:
www.novozymes.com/

8. Enzymes in Detergents Retrieved December 3, 3003 www.fst.rdg.ac.uk

9. Havich, Michelle M. (1999). New Fabric Stalks A Market Share. November 13, 2002 from
www.textileindustries.com/Past_Issues. Lunt, James. Polylactic Acid

10. Polymers from Corn Potential Applications in the Textiles Industry. Retrieved from the
Cargill-Dow Web Site: 222.cargilldow.com/pdf/lunttech/pdf

11. What are Biomedical Textiles? November 13, 2002 from www.hw.ac.uk/sbc

http://fungus.org.uk/cv/impctcv.htm

www.enzymes.com

About the author:

Gokilavani is in Department of zoology, Michael Job arts & Science college, Sulur, Coimbatore
Sardar

Gopalakrishnan am doing PG Diploma in Home Textile Management.i did

my Diploma in Textile Technology & B.Tech in Textile Technology from PSG
College of Technology & Polytechnic College. After my diploma I worked as a
Production & maintenance Supervisor in Cambodia Mills (NTC) Coimbatore,
after three years of experience I came back to my B.Tech.I did 17 paper
presented in various technical symposiums, national & international
confrences in all over india and i participated in various technical workshops &
innovative project works. I published several articles in journals,magazines.
Area of Interest: innovative textiles, Technical textiles

Coimbatore-641 004, Email dgk_psgtech@yahoo.co.in

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