Application of Calophyllum inophyllum oil as antifungal fat-liquor for leather industry

Abstract

Calophyllum inophyllum oil which contains mixed oleic, linoleic acid, stearic acid and palmitic acid is well known for its antimicrobial properties. Presence of unsaturation leads to provide better opportunity for its modification for fat liquoring. Trans esterified emulsion of Calophyllum inophyllum oil shows good antifungal property. To enhance its antifungal activity against more fungal species the blending of trans esterified emulsion with water extract of Bishop’s weed leads to the formation of an antifungal fat liquor. This blended product mitigates most of the disadvantages associated with conventional tanning. Fresh mature cultures of fungal species such as, Aspergillus Niger, Penicillium notatum, Aspergillus flavus and Paecilomyces variotii have been collected and used as sources of inoculum for antifungal activity of the fat liquor. Gas chromatograph with a mass detector (GC/MS) analysis of both Calophyllum inophyllum oil and Bishop’s weed were carried out separately. The presence of unsaturated acids like oleic acid and linoleic acid provide the platform for its modification by transesterification process and the presence of two compounds namely thymol and carvacrol in the Bishop’s weed enhances the antifungal activity of fat liquor. The antifungal activity of fat liquor is confirmed by Agar well diffusion method. The aim of this study is to investigate the possibility of using Calophyllum inophyllum oil as antifungal fat liquor for leather industry.