REMOVING EXTRACTABLE PROTEINS IN NATURAL RUBBER LATEX BY CALCIUM CHLORIDE FROM CHICKEN EGGSHELLS

Abstract

Abstract Controlling the level of the extractable protein contents in a natural rubber latex is important to the sensitization of natural rubber latex products users. Allergies caused by latex products cause a serious problem in which the sweat removes proteins and allowing a skin contact causing allergic reactions. Calcium oxide from calcined chicken eggshells at 900 °C for 1 h was dissolved in 2M HCl (CaCl2) and used as the thickening agent in which it can modify the protein structure. The eggshells were characterized by the particle size analysis, the impedance analysis, simultaneous thermal analysis (STA), x-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FTIR). Calcium chloride (CaCl2) interacts with the protein molecules and the solvent ions through the hydrogen bonding and the electrostatic interactions driving the extractable protein toward the film surface. Sodium dodecyl sulphate was used as the stabilizer in the natural rubber latex film formation. The extractable protein contents were measured and determined by the modified Lowry method. The concentrated latex samples were further characterized by FTIR, scanning electron microscope, and XRD and the results were reported here. Moreover, near infrared was used to measure the extractable protein spectra of the concentrated latex compounds in the region of 1100–2500 nm.