Open Access Te Herenga Waka-Victoria University of Wellington
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Stabilisation of Natural Colourants and Lignocellulosic Textiles

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posted on 2021-11-10, 21:00 authored by Tang, Ying

The lignocellulosic fibres extracted from the leaves of New Zealand flax, Phormium tenax, have been used as the principal textile fibre by Maori since pre- European times. Variations of antifungal activity were observed in Phormium fibres of different cultivars. The most resistant cultivars of P. tenax in an aqueous antifungal assay also possessed the greatest variety of naturally-occurring 7-hydroxycoumarins as identified by mass spectroscopy, ESI-MS. In addition to antifungal effects, coumarins function as fluorescent whitening agents in Phormium fibres and play a role in the fibre’s photodegradation. Ultraviolet irradiation (350 – 400 nm) of the fibre resulted in a substantial loss of the blue fluorescence originating from a number of 7-hydroxycoumarins present, together with the formation of new fluorophores absorbing and emitting at longer wavelengths, which contribute to the photoyellowing of the fibre. The photolysis of two standard 7-hydroxycoumarins in aqueous solution was examined and two primary photoproducts were elucidated by ESI-MS: a photodimer containing a linking cyclobutane ring and a monomeric photooxidation product. The formation of at least some of the photoproducts is associated with the coumarin-sensitised generation of reactive oxygen species, hydrogen peroxide and superoxide. The fluorescence properties and photodegradation of Chinese handmade papers were also investigated. Papers manufactured by traditional methods were found to be more photostable than that produced from chemically-facilitated techniques.

History

Copyright Date

2011-01-01

Date of Award

2011-01-01

Publisher

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Rights License

Author Retains Copyright

Degree Discipline

Chemistry

Degree Grantor

Te Herenga Waka—Victoria University of Wellington

Degree Level

Doctoral

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Victoria University of Wellington Item Type

Awarded Doctoral Thesis

Language

en_NZ

Victoria University of Wellington School

School of Chemical and Physical Sciences

Advisors

Smith, Gerald