Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for scouring and increasing the brightness of non-wood fibers. The method comprises forming a mixture of non-wood fibers, exposing the mixture to a scouring liquor and a scouring agent comprising oxygen gas to form a scouring mixture, and scouring the scouring mixture by radially circulating the scouring liquor throughout the scouring mixture to provide scoured fibers.

Abstract: This invention relates to activation of enzymes. More specifically, the invention relates to agents capable of enhancing the activity of peroxidases or peroxidase acting compounds. The invention also relates to methods of oxidizing a substrate with a source of hydrogen peroxide in the presence of a peroxidase enzyme or a peroxidase acting compound, and an enhancing agent. More specifically, the invention relates to a method of bleaching of dye in solutions, to a method of inhibiting the transfer of a textile dye from a dyed fabric to another fabric when said fabrics are washed together in a wash liquor, to a method of bleaching of lignin-containing material, in particular bleaching of pulp for paper production, to a method of treatment of waste water from pulp manufacturing, and to a method of enzymatic polymerization and/or modification of lignin or lignin containing material.

Abstract: A method for cotton purification is described, where the cotton is subject to a purification process in water. The process solution contains calcium hydroxide and a non-ionic detergent wetting agent. Following this processing the cotton is rendered hydrophilic. The cotton is carried in a net with simultaneous removal of the adsorbed processing solution. It is then washed and bleached with H.sub.2 O.sub.2 or ClONa in a two-stage process. The effluent water is processed by anaerobic digestion in the thermophilic region for the production of biogas. The effluent water from the anaerobic digestion process is further processed by aerobic biological treatment. The whole process operates with energy self-sufficiency without resulting in environment pollution. Finally, a high purity cotton is produced with high water absorptivity which is suitable for spinning for the production of quality cotton yarns suitable for weaving quality fabrics or dyeing.

Abstract: Three reuasable surgical/medical fabrics provide improved barrier properties, as reflected by their Suter ratings, and also posses a "hand" similar to a "cotton hand". The Suter ratings are degraded in the order of 10%-20% after 100 sterile reprocessing cycles. The fabrics are reliable free of "voids", permitting their use as a single layer barrier panel. The fabrics are woven, respectively, with false twist 100/100 warp yarns and air texturized core and effect 2/60/100 fill yarns; flat trilobal 100/50 warp yarns and air texturized core and effect 2/60/100 fill yarns; and false twist 2/50/34 warp yarns and false twist 150/200 fill yarns. The fabrics are characterized by a minimum porosity of at least 10.times.10.sup.6 pores/square centimeter and maximum average. and mean pore sizes. The fabrics have a thickness of at least 0.005 inch, a weight of at least 3.5 ounces per square yard and a filament density of at least 2.0.times.10.sup.6 filaments per square inch.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for dyeing textiles, whereby textiles are loaded with a dye liquor containing dye in diluted form; several mutually separate dye compartments (dye containers) being provided and mounted in a zone above the dyeing chamber receiving the textiles to be treated. Several textile pieces are processed simultaneously in the dyeing chamber of which the base zone comprises supply lines with upwardly directed supply apertures for steam and for the dye liquor. Thus, it possible to deposit colors structured as pictures across wide areas and differing from each other on a variety of textiles. Furthermore, uniform dye soaking of the textiles is achieved in spite of such image designs. For that purpose, the invention provides that the dye liquor is made to pass from below to above through the textiles using pressurized transport media at raised pressure.