Title : Extraction,characterization of sheep wool hydrolysate and evaluation of its non-phytotoxicity for potential application in agriculture
Abstract:
Sheep's wool is a textile material that belongs to the class of natural fibers of animal origin[1], [2]. This waste arouses a notorious interest through its chemical composition rich in nitrogen through the amino acids contained in the keratin constituting one of the irrefragable elements or essential macronutrients for the development of plants. Nevertheless, its slow degradation in nature mainly due to its structure composed of keratin makes it dangerous for the environment in the end[3], [4]. Indeed, keratin is a scleroprotein or structural protein characterized by a preponderance of disulfide bridges making its decomposition in the environment difficult. In this work, alkaline hydrolysis using KOH was tested to produce keratin hydrolysates for agricultural purposes. It was found that the factors of temperature, hydrolysis time, and concentration of the hydrolysis agent play an important role in this extraction process, allowing real conservation of the predominant amino acids. Their non-phytotoxicity in agricultural crops reinforced the fact that their punctual use would allow the production of eco-friendly products.
Keywords: Sheep Wool, Keratin, Hydrolysis, Alkaline Hydrolysates, Agriculture.
