The OXIPRO team is pleased to share a ground-breaking new publication from researchers at the Bioprocess Engineering and Applied Biocatalysis Group, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (UAB). The study, led by Yerko Fredes, Gregorio Álvaro, Marina Guillén, and Oscar Romero, explores an innovative enzymatic approach to reduce environmental impact in the textile industry. The article, titled “Towards a resource-friendly circular cotton processing: From carbohydrate-rich wastewaters to hydrogen peroxide using carbohydrate oxidases”, is now available in the Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering.
Addressing Textile Wastewater with Enzymes
Cotton processing is a water-intensive industry, and one of the biggest challenges it faces is managing the enormous amount of wastewater it produces. When raw cotton is turned into fabric, various chemical treatments are used to remove impurities, strengthen the fibres, and prepare the material for dyeing or bleaching. These processes generate wastewater that is heavily contaminated with starches, sugars, dyes, and chemicals, making it difficult to treat and reuse. Traditional treatment methods often require large amounts of clean water and harsh chemicals, increasing both environmental pollution and production costs.
The UAB researchers have found a way to turn this problem into a solution. Instead of seeing the wastewater as waste, they looked at its chemical composition and realized that the carbohydrates (sugars) present in it could be used to produce hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂)—a key ingredient in the bleaching process. This means that, rather than relying on fresh chemicals and clean water, the industry could use its own wastewater to create a vital bleaching agent, significantly reducing water usage, chemical waste, and pollution.
Their study tested two different enzyme-based approaches to make this possible:
- Cellobiose oxidase (COX): A flexible enzyme that works directly on untreated wastewater, breaking down its sugars to generate hydrogen peroxide.
- N-acetylglucosamine oxidase (NagOX): A more targeted enzyme that requires a simple pre-treatment step to maximize hydrogen peroxide production.
By applying these enzymes, the research team successfully transformed wastewater from a costly environmental burden into a valuable resource, offering a sustainable, cost-effective alternative for textile manufacturers worldwide.
Key Findings
- Wastewater from the pre-wash stage of cotton processing contains sugars that can be enzymatically converted into hydrogen peroxide.
- Two enzyme-based strategies were tested:
- Cellobiose oxidase (COX): Works directly on untreated wastewater.
- N-acetylglucosamine oxidase (NagOX): Requires a pre-treatment step but produces higher H₂O₂ concentrations.
- The enzymatic process was validated using real industrial wastewater samples, confirming its feasibility for large-scale implementation.
- The study also highlights the impact of wastewater color on bleaching efficiency and suggests solutions such as active charcoal treatment.
Why It Matters
There is growing concern about the environmental impact of synthetic textiles, particularly the shedding of micro- and nanoplastics during washing and drying. These tiny plastic particles make their way into waterways, soil, and even the air we breathe, contributing to long-term pollution and potential health risks. As the fashion and textile industries come under pressure to reduce plastic waste and shift to more sustainable materials, innovations in eco-friendly cotton processing are needed more than ever.
Importantly, this research aligns with OXIPRO’s mission to harness biocatalysis for a more sustainable industrial future. By transforming wastewater into a functional bleaching agent, this approach not only reduces environmental pollution but also lowers water and chemical consumption in the textile sector.
Read the Full Article
The publication is available open access, allowing industry professionals, researchers, and policymakers to explore its findings in detail.
Read the full article here:
Or find it on Zenodo: https://zenodo.org/records/14979261
We congratulate the UAB team on this exciting contribution to sustainable enzyme-based innovation!
Corresponding authors:
E-mail addresses: yerko.fredes@uab.cat (Y. Fredes), gregorio.alvaro@uab.cat (G. Alvaro), marina.guillen@uab.cat (M. Guillen), oscar.romero.ormazabal@uab.ct (O. Romero)