23—THE OXIDATION OF SILK FIBROIN BY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE AND BY PERACETIC ACID

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Abstract
The effect of hydrogen peroxide and of peracetic acid on silk fibroin has been studied. The extent of the degradation caused by these oxidants has been assessed by changes in the fluidity of solutions of the fibroin in cupriethylenediamine and by losses in weight. Changes in the base-binding capacity of the oxidized fibroin have been measured by means of Methylene Blue absorption, and the degree of modification of the phenolic group of tyrosine has been determined. Peracetic acid causes more rapid scission of the chain molecules of fibroin than does hydrogen peroxide, but the loss of weight for a given increase in fluidity is greater with hydrogen peroxide than with peracetic acid. Peracetic acid is more effective in modifying the side-chains of the tyrosine residues than is hydrogen peroxide for a given change in fluidity, and similarly, peracetic acid produces more acidic groups, as measured by Methylene Blue absorption, than does hydrogen peroxide. For fibroin oxidized by peracetic acid, the increase in Methylene Blue absorption bears a linear relation to the fall in tyrosine content, and this fact supports the view that the tyrosine side-chains are oxidized to acidic groups.

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