Utilization of Bamboo Leaves as a New Resource of Natural Green Colorants

The objective of this study was to find an appropriate method and process for protecting the green color in bamboo leaves and subsequent extraction of the green colorants, chlorophyll. Various inorganic salts including cupric sulfate, ferric sulfate, and zinc chloride were employed as green color protectors. Accordingly, the effects of metal salts and treatment conditions on color protection were investigated to find appropriate protector and conditions. And also, the efficacy of bamboo colorants as a natural green dye was evaluated through dyeing and colorfastness tests. Antimicrobial activity of dyed fabrics was measured by shake flask method in terms of bacterial reduction rate using Staphylococcus aureus(ATCC 6538). On the basis of experimental results for stabilizing bamboo leaves colorants, it was confirmed that Cu was the most appropriate metal type considering dye uptake, photostability and light fastness, and its optimum concentration was 0.025%. After the stabilization, the colorants were extracted efficiently at NaOH aqueous solution of 1.00%. It was concluded that bamboo leave has a high potentiality as new resources to produce a natural green dye with antimicrobial functionality.