Oxidation of wool: Alkali-solubility test for determining the extent of oxidation

Oxidizing agents attack the disulfide groups of the cystine in wool and increase the solubility of the wool in alkaline solutions. The determination of the alkalisolubility may be used as a measure of the extent to which the wool is oxidized. The method is applicaule as a control in practical processes, such as bleaching and chlorination, and offers a measure of the extent to which wool is degraded by photochemica l reactions. Data are presented which indicate a relationship between the chemical and physical degradation of wool fibers.