Effect of Extraction Parameters on Some Properties of Keratin obtained From Waste Chicken Feathers.

Extraction parameters are important in determining the physicochemical properties of extracts. This work aimed to investigate the effect of extraction parameters on the physicochemical properties of keratin powder obtained from chicken feather wastes. Keratin was extracted using alkaline hydrolysis under different experimental conditions viz: concentration of sodium hydroxide, retention time and temperature. Extracted keratin powder was subjected to physicochemical, bulk powder and microbiological investigations. The powder was also subjected to high-resolution analyses such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). An optimal yield of 62% keratin was obtained from 3.0 M NaOH solution at 37°C and 24 hours’ reaction time. Extracted keratin powder was odourless, light-brown and insoluble in neutral and acidic solutions but soluble in alkaline medium. It exhibited a moisture sorption capacity of 98% with fair to good flowability. SEM revealed a rough surface powder particle with a mean diameter of 100 µm. FTIR spectroscopy revealed the presence of amide groups while DSC showed a melting point of 110°C. Extraction conditions impacted yield, physicochemical and powder properties of keratin from chicken feathers. The powder may be useful as an excipient in colon-targeted drug delivery due to its pH-dependent solubility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]