Hydrolytic dissociation of hog-hair by microwave radiation

One of the major constituents of hog hair is cl-keratin from ectodermal cel ls. It is a fibrous, water-insoluble protein that has long peptide linkages and a spiral-conformation. This spiral-structure may contribute to the hig h dielectric constant observed for hog hair. Microwave radiation can penetr ate deep into the folding layers of a-keratin to destabilize the bonds betw een the units and make them twirl rapidly. The microwave radiation promotes the forward hydrolysis, thus generating a more efficient technique than th e traditional external heat, acid-solution-methods. (C) 1999 Elsevier Scien ce Ltd. All rights reserved.