Characteristics of the Protein Contaminant Layer on Merino Wool

Abstract
Some characteristics of the protein contaminant layer (PCL) extracted from a typical Australian Merino wool have been studied. The PCL was separated into water-extractable and particulate fractions, the overall yield being 4.1 %, of which 45% was soluble in water. Amino-acid analyses showed that the particulate PCL was mainly skin flakes and the water-soluble PCL was similar to the peptides found in suint.