Use of Protease Produced by Bacillus sp. SJ-121 for Improvement of Dyeing Quality in Wool and Silk

In this study, a microorganism-produced protease was used to improve the quality of fabrics. First, the protease-producing bacteria were isolated from soils, and one of them was selected and identified as Bacillus sp. SJ-121. The optimal medium composition for its growth and protease production was determined to be as follows: glucose 1g/L, soybean meal 0.5g/L, soy peptone 0.5, $K_2HPO_4\;0.2,\;MgSO_4\cdot7H_2O\; 0.002,\;NaCl\;0.002,\;and\;Na_2CO_3g/L$. Also, the optimal temperature for the production of the protease by Bacillus sp. SJ-121 was about $40^{\circ}C$ at pH 7. The wool and silk were treated with the protease from Bacillus sp. SJ-121. Following the protease treatment, changes in the surface of a single yarn of the fabrics were observed by both an optical microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Changes in the K/S value of the wool and silk were measured by spectrophotometric analysis, in order to determine the amount of dye uptake in the fabrics. We also performed a tensile strength examination in order to determine the degree and nature of mechanical changes in single yarns of the wool and silk fabrics. By increasing the protease treatment time to 48 h, the dyeing characteristics of the fabrics were enhanced, and the surfaces of the single yarns of the fabrics became smoother, due to the removal of soil and scale in them. However, no mechanical changes were detected in the fabrics. Therefore, we suggest that proper treatment of the protease produced by Bacillus sp. can improve the quality of silk and wool.