Study of Dyeing of Cotton Fabric using Peanut Pod Natural Dyes using Al2So4 CuSo4 and FeSo4 Mordanting Agent

Dyes are generally used in textile, paper, cosmetic, food, pharmaceutical and leather industries. Water pollution due to discharge of non-biodegradable coloured effluents from textile dye manufacturing and textile-dyeing sill is one of the major environmental concerns in the world today. Strong colour imparted by synthetic dyes to the receiving aquatic ecosystems poses aesthetic and serious ecological problems such as inhibition of benthic photosynthesis and carcinogenicity. Textile industry uses and rejects high amounts of water, its wastewater being the main way by which dyes are discharged into the environment [1-2]. Textile effluents are characterized by strong colour and high concentrations of organic and inorganic compounds caused by residual dyes that were not fixed to the fibers during the dyeing process [3-4]. The serious environmental problems of public health concern related to coloured wastewaters containing synthetic dyes have diverted researchers promptly to look for eco-friendly products. Hence, there is a world's movement to return to the natural dyes [5-6].

In this paper we have shown that the natural dye-stuffs of plant origins, grown in Beawar, Rajasthan, used as peanut pods systems can be developed scientifically and can be substituted for the textile dyes. These peanut pod dyes can be produced in large scale and could be prepared commercially and economically [7]. The practice of peanut pod systems for preparing dyestuffs and the processes of dyeing has been developed using modern technological methods [8-9]. 

These natural dyes derived from the plants of Beawar, Rajasthan are found to be of high quality, and thus these plants need to be protected for conservation of biodiversity. People can utilize these peanut pod dyes in large scale, commercially, by establishing processing units and can replace the use of chemical dyes which are hazardous from the environmental point of view [10-11]. As Rajasthan amidst its rich diverse peanut pods harbors many dye yielding plant species in abundance, we carried out a study to revive and restore the traditional dyeing practices using the traditional biomordant Alum, Copper Sulphate and Ferrous Sulphate in place of metal mordant [12]. This work was designed with an aim to focus on the innovative methods of dye extraction, mordant study and by means of application of modern technology to sharpen the skills of tribal traditional dyers of Rajasthan. Although a lot of work has been done on natural dyeing with other sources, our approach is towards development of ecofriendly natural dyeing [13-16].