The impact of cotton treatment on dyeing with reactive dyes

High level of individual environmental consciousness is the best means of protecting the environment. A textile technologist, a chemist, regardless of the choice of the dyestuff and additives he chooses for the processes he is responsible for, should have an insight into the problem before starting the dyeing sequence, so as to ensure a minimal level of waste water pollution. When using reactive dyes, which are today the key group of dyes used for dyeing cellulosic materials, technologists should aim at reducing the level of salts added, reducing bath ratio, and select reactive systems with a high level of fixation. Furthermore, practical experience indicates that the level of waste water pollution is also dependent upon the type of treatment applied. Particular emphasis in this work is given to the treatment processes for cotton thread (wetting with anionactive or non-ionogenic surfactant and mercerization). All the tests were done using C.I. Reactive Red 120 reactive dyestuff. Better color yield was obtained after the treatment with anionactive surfactant, and approximately 30% higher dyestuff fixation for mercerized samples, compared to bleached ones, indicates the process is environment-friendly one.