Enzymatic scouring of cotton: Effects on structure and properties

In pursuit of effective enzyme systems for scouring of cotton, enzyme activity optima were coupled with an engineering approach. A rapid gain of absorbency by cotton substrates after treatment by engineered enzyme systems was observed. Part of the experimental results are reported herein and followed with an analysis of the structural changes of the cotton caused by the treatment with staining tests and microscopy observations. A discussion on the mechanism of the enzymatic treatments is included.