African Journal of Biochemistry Research Vol. 5(3), pp. 90-94, March 2011 Available online at http://www.academicjournals.org/AJBR ISSN 1996-0778 ©2011 Academic Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Extraction and application of dye extracted from eriophyid leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora-A Himalayan bluejack oak Preeti Mishra* and Vidya Patni Department of Botany, Plant Pathology, Tissue Culture and Biotechnology Laboratory, University of Rajasthan, JLN Marg, Jaipur-302004, India. Accepted 30 December, 2010
Oaks (Quercus sp.) are susceptible to a wide diversity of gall-forming insects. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a dyestuff. Kalamkari unit’s method (India) was followed for the extraction of dye. A dark brown dye was obtained from the leaf gall of Quercus leucotrichophora caused by Eriophyes sp. Three different types of cloths and three different types of yarns were used in the experiment to observe the strength of dye. Cotton-Jute (C-3) sample showed dark brown color with myrobalan and ferrous sulphate, yellowish, cream and purplish color with potassium dichromate, stannous chloride and aluminium sulphate respectively. Key words: Extraction, jute, Kalamkari, myrobalan. INTRODUCTION Galls are typical plant growths that provide nourishment, shelter and protection to the inducer or its progeny. They are in a sense new plant organs because it is the plant that produces the gall in response to a specific stimulus provided by the invading insect (Shorthouse et al., 2005). With about 2000 different galls, the Indian subcontinent displays a rich variety of gall flora. Gall inducing parasites of peninsular India are endemic, whereas those in the temperate Himalayan slopes and in the Indo-Gangetic plains show affinity to central Asian and European gall inducing elements (Raman, 2007; Ramani and Kant, 1989; Mani, 2000). The number and diversity of gall-inducing insects are great (Espirito-Santo and Fernandes, 2007). Oaks (Quercus sp.) are susceptible to a wide diversity of gall-forming insects. When the insect pupates and leaves, the gall can be used as a dyestuff. Galls are used as powder or decoction. Oak galls have been used extensively over a period of centuries in the manufacture
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
[email protected].
of certain inks and tanning of leather. Gallnuts (Aleppo galls) of Q. infectoria are a tannin mordant and a golden-tan dye with alum mordant, pale grayed-tan with copper mordant, light brown with tin mordant. Thus obtained Iron-gall ink was the most important ink in western history. To make iron-gall ink, galls from oak trees were crushed to obtain gallotannic acid. The gallotannic acid was mixed with water. This ink did not rub off documents. Unlike paper, parchment was not absorbent, so carbon-based ink easily rubbed away (Shirley, 2005). Leaf galls of Manjuphal tree (Q. leucotrichophora) can also be used for the manufacture of dyestuff. The status for detection of the dye in Indian oak species is yet to be set. Not any remarkable work has been done in the particular area. Pigmentary molecules containing aromatic ring structure coupled with a side chain are usually required for resonance and thus to impart colour (Vanker, 2000; Purohit et al., 2007, Kamel et al., 2005). The present study deals with eriophyid leaf galls on Q. leucotrichophora. The study area (Uttranchal, central Himalayas) is located between 79°23' and 79°42' E, and
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grinder. Gall powder thus prepared was taken in distilled water as solvent for extraction. This pasty mass was kept for 10 to 15 days to get colour of dye. This extract was filtered and used for dyeing. Cloth used for dyeing was boiled in NaOH solution to remove the starch from the cloth, then washed with cold distilled water. This cloth was then transferred in mordant (Myrobalan) then it was put in the gall extract for some time. Then the cloth was treated with (colour fixative) and dried in sunlight. Different types of cotton cloths (5 X 5 cm) and yarns were experimented for dyeing. Three different types of cloths and three different types of yarns were used in the experiment to observe the strength of dye. Cotton-synthetic mix (C1), Cotton pure (C-2) and Cotton- Jute mix (C-3) were taken. Yarns of silk (Y-1), cotton (Y-2) and wool (Y-3) were taken into account. Similarly effect of various mordants on color of dye extracted from the galls was also studied on the cloth found best in the above experiment. This was achieved by incorporating different mordants like: i) Stannous chloride ii) Aluminium sulphate iii) Ferrous sulphate and iv) Potassium dichromate separately, each at a concentration of 3% of the gall extract (5 ml). Figure 1. Morphology of eriophyid galls, aPustule like galls on adaxial surfaces of leaves of Quercus leucotrichophora caused by Eriophyes sp.; b and c - Comparison between affected and normal leaf surfaces (adaxial and abaxial) of Quercus leucotrichophora.
29°20' and 29°30' N. The altitude ranges between 1300 and 2600 meter above sea level. The art of making vegetable dyes is one of the oldest known to man and dated back to the dawn of civilization. In India, it was widely used for colouring of fabrics and other materials (Siva, 2007). Though, the very earliest dyes were discovered by accident using berries and fruits, with the experimentation and gradual development the vegetable dyes have resulted into a highly refined art. India’s expertise in vegetable dyes dates back to ancient times. As a defense response gallotannin, gallic acid, tannin acid etc start accumulating in the gall tissues. Oak galls contain large amounts of gallic and tannic acid, which are widely used in the manufacture of medicines, insecticides and permanent inks. MATERIALS AND METHOD The dye was extracted from the leaf galls of Q. leucotrichophora caused by Eriophyes sp. These galls are found in abundance on the leaf\ves and after drying of leaf, the whole galled leaf can be used for dyeing. For the extraction of dye Kalamkari unit’s method was followed (The Art and Craft of National Dyes by Shakuntala Ramani) with some modifications. Procedure The galled leaves were dried in shade, crushed and powdered in
Cloth pieces were individually soaked with the mixture of extract mordant solution. After soaking, the cloth was dried in sunlight for 2 h. The sun-dried cloth was further evaluated for its colour, lightness and was fastness. Wash fastness was tested by washing with soap water (10% w/v) and heat resistance was tested by keeping the cloth at various temperatures namely: 50, 60, 70˚C for 30 min in the oven.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Leaf galls of Q. leucotrichophora are induced by a mite Eriophyes belonging to family Eriophydae, well known for inducing galls on different plants. Galls on leaf affect the plant in many ways. Heavily infected plants can be found throughout, between the months of August to December. The leaf galls caused by Eriophyes were epiphyllous, hemispherical and pustule like. These were solitary pouch-gall, about 5 mm in diameter, generally about 20 or many galls were observed on a leaf. The galls were smooth, yellowish green above and below with brown erineum (Figure 1 a to c). Structural and physiological significance of different plant galls have been critically reviewed by Ramani and Kant (1989), Schonrogge et al. (2000), Stone et al. (2002), Price (2003), Raman et al. (2005), Raman (2007) and Diamond et al. (2008). A dark brown dye was obtained from the leaf of gall Q. leucotrichophora caused by Eriophyes sp. Effects of Myrobalan and dye colour are presented in Figures 2, 3 and 4 and Tables 1 and 2. Cotton-synthetic mix (C-1) showed light brown coloration, while Cotton-Jute (C-3) and pure cotton (C-2) cloth samples showed best coloration (dark brown and brown) by repeated dipping in gall extract (Figures 2 a to c). Different types of yarns, silk yarn (Y-1), Cotton yarn (Y-2) and wool yarn (Y-3) showed bright brown, brown and camel color respectively (Figure
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Figure 2. Application of dye extracted from eriophyid leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora + myrobalan on different type of cloth types, a-Untreated white cotton-synthetic mix (C-1) cloth and dyed light brown colored cloth; b- Untreated white cotton pure (C-2) cloth and dyed brown colored cloth; c- Untreated white cotton-jute mix (C-3) cloth and dyed dark brown colored cloth.
3 a to c) with the treatment of myrobalan and dye extracted. When Cotton Jute (C-3) was subjected to various mordants, it showed different type of shades according to mordants. Effects of different mordants on the cloth with dye and color fastness are presented in Figure 4 and Table 2. Cotton Jute cloth showed best coloration (Figure 2 c) after treating with dye hence it was further selected for dyeing with mixture of different mordant and extracted dye. Cotton-Jute (C-3) sample showed dark brown color with Myrobalan and Ferrous sulphate, yellowish, cream and purplish color with potassium dichromate, stannous chloride and aluminium sulphate respectively (Figure 4). The application of natural dyes in textile industry in the form of: a) Dyeing of yarns, which are then woven into cloth, carpet or any other usable form.
Figure 3. Application of dye extracted from eriophyid leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora + myrobalan on different type of yarns, a- Untreated white silk yarn (Y-1) and dyed bright brown colored yarn; b- Untreated white cotton yarn (Y-2) and dyed brown colored yarn; c- Untreated wool yarn (Y-3) and dyed grayish colored yarn.
b) Dyeing of cloths woven earlier. c) Block printing, where the textile materials are printed with the help of printing blocks and, d) Kalamkari where the “Kalam” or pen is used to draw beautiful designs on the cloth (Gopi, 2004). Eriophyid leaf gall extract of Q. leucotrichophora yielded large amount of pigments. Three types of cloths and three types of yarns were tested against dye extracted from leaf galls. Galls of some Quercus spp. From India (Himalayan region) are used for dyeing of silk and wool from ancient times. It gives brown and camel colours with alum and iron mordants. The consequent solar drying, soap washing and heating did not alter the colour shade developed during the dyeing process that is colour, light and wash fastness. Similar findings were reported in Zizyphus gall (Gopi, 2004). Shirley (2005) also reported some natural dyes form oak galls. Oak galls contain large amounts of gallic and tannic acid, which are widely used
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Figure 4. Effect of different mordants on the cotton-jute cloth (C-3) with dye obtained. Cream color with stannous chloride, pink brown with aluminium sulphate, dark brown with ferrous sulphate, yellowish brown with potassium dichromate.
Table 1. Effect of Myrobalan and dye extracted from eriophyid leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora on different types of cloth and yarns.
S.No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.
Sample Cotton-synthetic mix (C-1) Cotton pure (C-2) Cotton- Jute mix (C-3) Silk yarn (Y-1) Cotton yarn (Y-2) Wool yarn (Y-3)
Color obtained with the treatment of myrobalan+dye extract Light brown Brown Dark brown Bright-brown Brow Grayish
Table 2. Effect of different mordants with dye extracted from eriophyid leaf galls of Quercus leucotrichophora on the cotton-jute cloth.
S.No. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Mordants Myrobalan Stanous chloride Alluminium sulphate Ferrous sulphate Potassium dichromate
in the manufacture of medicines, insecticides and permanent inks. The Aleppo oak gall of Asia Minor, produced by a cynipid wasp, contains about 65% tannic acid. For centuries the best permanent inks were made from these galls (Elmer, 1999).
Color obtained Dark brown Cream Purplish Dark brown Yellowish brown
Color fastness Slight Slight Slight Slight Slight
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