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Columns::April 1, 2002
61st Peabody Awards: September 11 programming prominent among this year’s winners
Kleven, head of avian medicine, is named a Regents Professor
Researcher receives $1 million grant to study stuttering in children
Food safety director will deliver annual Woodroof Lecture
Out of the woods
Driven to succeed
Human development specialist’s career is an extension of himself
New director appointed to Coca-Cola Center for Marketing Studies
Newsmakers
New recruitment office opens in metro Atlanta
Campus News
International symposium participants will discuss biotechnology in textiles
By Denise H. Horton
dhorton@uga.edu
Scientists involved with biotechnology from around the world will gather April 3-6 on campus to discuss how “chemical
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| Ian Hardin |
scalpels” can create new products, solve environmental problems and replace the “chemical sledgehammers” currently used in some processes in the textile industry.
“Historically, the textile industry has used conventional synthetic chemicals, such as sodium hydroxide and various organics to change properties and create new functions in fibers and fabrics,” says Ian Hardin, head of the textiles, merchandising and interiors department of the College of Family and Consumer Sciences, which has organized the conference.
“These chemicals do what you want them to do, but they also do other things, including adding sodium ions to the wastewater, which can have a negative effect on the environment,” Hardin says. “Enzymes are naturally occurring proteins. Not only do they more specifically target the biochemical reaction that’s needed, but they also are biodegradable, so there is very little negative impact on the environment.”
The search for new enzymes to use in the textile industry has exploded in the past five years as researchers have isolated a greater variety of enzymes, coinciding with the search for more environmentally friendly ways to process materials. Already, the enzyme cellulase has virtually replaced the use of potassium permanganate and sodium hypochlorite in giving denim the faded “stonewashed” look. Cellulases and pectinases are now being used to scour the outer surface layer of cotton fibers, making them more absorptive and receptive to dyeing and replacing the much harsher chemical sodium hydroxide used in conventional processes.
Other work by UGA researchers has shown that the use of enzymes can reduce both the amount of water and the temperature of water used in some dyeing processes, which means lower costs to textile producers. Additional innovative work involves using enzymes from white rot fungi to break down color-producing molecules in wastewater. UGA researchers also have been involved in the identification of enzymes that can efficiently break down nylon from carpets, a large contributor to solid textile waste.
Hardin says this international conference will put a spotlight on UGA as the American university at the leading edge of biotechnology work with a positive impact on both industry and the environment. The symposium will gather researchers from around the world to report on their research and consider possibilities for expanding their research and collaborating with international colleagues.
Participants are expected from Romania, Northern Ireland, the United Kingdom, China, India, South Korea, Finland, Italy, Portugal, the Netherlands, Russia and Brazil, as well as the United States.
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