Pages 100–102
Abstract
Research summary supplied by the authors
Waste from leather industries poses a significant challenge to the environment. Research towards reducing this waste will have an additional significance if it leads to the production of value-added product(s). Hair waste derived from animal skin act as a valuable source of protein namely keratin; which has a great potential to serve in biomedical, textile and cosmetic applications. This hair waste is currently used as fertilizers or disposed as a landfill or incinerated. In this work, we extracted keratin, while retaining its secondary structural and functional properties, using protease thus enabling a greener way of extraction. The structural integrity of keratin was evaluated using Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Circular Dichroism (CD) spectroscopy. Thermal and morphological characteristics were also analyzed to confirm the property. The extracted keratin was electrospun into nanofibers, which acts as a support for transdermal applications. For conditions such as osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, different rates of controlled drug release are desirable to treat patients via non-invasive therapy. This keratin-based polymer matrix is expected to help in consistent drug release. The total system with the characteristics of biocompatibility, biodegradability, anti-bacterial behavior can be disposed off without causing harm to the environment. This work maximizes the goal of achieving circular economy by utilizing the waste of one industry and converting it into a potential candidate for the other industry.