Physicochemical study of keratin containing impurities from human nails

Abstract

The purpose of this research to study of physicochemical properties of keratin from human nails which still contains impurities. The method in this study, keratin from human nail waste was dissolved using NaOH solvent at room temperature, then neutralized to pH 7 using glacial acetic acid. On this report have studied the analysis of functional groups of keratin with impurities, viscosity, melting point, solubility and diffractogram pattern using XRD. The FTIR spectrum shows the transmittance in the wave number 1750-1200 cm−1 which is the characterization region of keratin protein. The intrinsic viscosity of nail keratin was obtained at 0.105 g/dL or 10 g/ml. The melting point of nail keratin was obtained at 210 °C. Keratin solubility test using HCl and NaOH 0.1 M and 1 M respectively, showed that keratin was soluble in strong base NaOH with high concentration. The results of XRD analysis, in a diffractogram pattern without a dominant peak and tend to widen, keratin from human nails is included in the amorphous structure type.