EFFECTS OF AGITATION AND ENDOGLUCANASE PRETREATMENT ON THE HYDROLYSISOF COTTON FABRICS BY A TOTAL CELLULASE

We have attempted to clarify the effects of low and high levels of mec hanical agitation on the cellulolytic activity of a pure endoglucanase (EG) and a total cellulase mixture (TC) on scoured and bleached cotto n fabric, along with the effect of EG pretreatment on subsequent treat ments with TC. Methods used to follow the progress of fabric treatment s include weight loss, breaking load loss, bending hysteresis, and the production of soluble reducing sugars and reducing end groups in the fibers. The results show that agitation rate affects the mechanism of cellulolytic attack, and that this has implications for delivering des ired finishing effects.