Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry Applied to the Identification and Quantification of Animal Hair Fibers in Textile Products
January 2020
TLDR Researchers developed a method to identify and measure different animal hair fibers in textiles, successfully distinguishing materials like cashmere from cheaper fibers.
In 2020, researchers used liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray mass spectrometry (LC/ESI-MS) to identify and measure animal hair fibers in textile products. This method was developed in response to the need for accurate analytical methods to assess fiber composition in textiles, such as cashmere, and protect consumers from common frauds, like the blending of cheaper fibers such as wool and yak with more expensive ones like cashmere. Traditional microscopic methods for identifying animal fibers were often subjective and relied heavily on the operator's skill. The main challenge was distinguishing and quantifying yak from cashmere fibers due to their similar external morphology. The LC/ESI-MS analysis successfully differentiated wool, cashmere, and yak in textile materials using a proteomic approach, where keratin extracted from animal fibers was digested by trypsin, and the proteolytic peptides were analyzed.
