Studies on Applications of Lipolytic Enzymes in Detergency. IV.

Effect of Lipase on Removal of Saturated Triacylglycerol from Cotton Fabric

Abstract

To evaluate the effects of lipase on the removal of saturated triacylglycerol, the removal of both unitary and mixed soils of four types of saturated triacylglycerols (glycerol trilaurate, glycerol trimyristate, glycerol tripalmitate, glycerol tristearate) and unsaturated glycerol trioleate from cotton fabrics was examined using various lipases and by changing the surfactant and pH of washing solutions. Microbial lipases of Candida cylindracea (Can-1 and Can-2), Mucor sp. (Mu-1 and Mu-2), Rhizopus arrhizus (Rhi) and Pseudomonas (Pse), and pocine pancreatic lipase (Pan) were used.
In the removal of a unitary soil of saturated triacylglycerol using only a surfactant solution, removal was found to become progressively easier as the chain length became shorter. The extent of individual removal of a saturated triacylglycerol from a mixed soil was low, while removal of glycerol trioleate in a mixed soil occurred more easily.
In the removal of a unitary soil by a surfactant solution containing lipase, the lipase had effect only on the removal of glycerol trilaurate among saturated triacylglycerols. In the removal of a mixed soil at both pH 7.0 and 10.0, lipase preferentialy facilitated the removal of glycerol trioleate and only to a very slight extent that of saturated triacylglycerols.
In the removal of glycerol trilaurate using various lipases, lipase was more effective in the monoalkyl deca (oxyethylene) ether (APE) system than in sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS) system. In the APE system, all lipases except Pse were noted to have effect and in SDS system, Can-1, Mu-1, Mu-2 and Pan were effective. The effects of lipase at pH 10.0 were less pronounced than that at pH 7.0.
For the more efficient removal of saturated triacylglycerol, the removal of glycerol tripalmitate was examined under various washing conditions. Increased lipase concentration was found to enhance removal.