94 Egypt.J.Chem. Vol. 61, No. 6 pp.

1151- 1159 (2018)

A Comprehensive Critique on Wool Grease Extraction,

Properties and Applications
Hosam El-Din Zakaria El-Sayed*, Salwa Mowafi, Amira Abou El-Kheir,
E. M. El-Khatib
Textile Industries Research Division, National Research Centre, Dokki, Cairo,
Egypt.

T HE UTILIZATION of raw wool wax (grease) extracted from scouring effluent of

fleece of sheep has been recognized two millennia ago. About seven centuries B.C.,
wool grease wax was extracted by Greek labors. Nowadays, tremendous amounts of wool
wax are discharged each year into the scouring effluent of wool fleece. Restore of wool
grease from textile effluent is of prime importance targeting environment protection. This
article outlines the current and the possible ways of extraction of wool wax from coarse
wool fleece; taking into consideration the economic and ecologic aspects. The methods of
purification of the extracted wool grease into lanolin are also briefed.

Recent techniques; namely microwave and ultrasonic-assisted extraction and

purification of wool wax, were outlined and briefly compared to the conventional heating
method used for extraction of wool wax.

Chemical and physical characteristics of the extracted lanolin, which play important
role in its utilization, are outlined. The current and future utilization of wool wax in textile
and non-textile application are reported.

Keywords: Wool, Lanoline, Extraction, Purification, Utilization, Microwave, Ultrasonic.

Introduction Wool fabrics have been used since the bronze

era in Europe and almost fourteen centuries
Recovery of many organic substances discharged
B.C. in Egypt. Wool types are classified
into the effluent of textile mills is of prime
according to fibre diameter and length. The
importance from the ecological and economical
major sheep breeds and characteristics of the
points of view. Among others, these include
wool they produce are shown in Table 1. The
sericin from the degumming process of natural
most commonly used wool for manufacturing
silk, wool grease discharged with the scouring
the finest wool is the “Merino”, which was
effluent from of raw wool fleece, and dyes from
grown in the South Western part of Europe
any coloration process for textiles. Restoring these
thousands of years ago. Export of Merino wool
substances, and others, from textile mills’ effluent
was prohibited until the mid of eighteenth
decreases the oxygen demand, both chemical and
century. The most notable of these is Australia,
biological. The recycled materials are utilized in
where it has been developed to produce highly
many textile and non-textile applications.
prized wool with exceptional fineness, length,
Although it is relatively expensive, woolen colour, lustre and crimp.
goods can survive in the auctions due to their
Here are some basic characteristics of coarse
versatile properties, such as warmth, strength, and
wool breeds that are commonly available among
wrinkle resistance. During processing of wool
colored sheep in Australia and New Zealand.
from fleece to final products, many recyclable
organic substances are discharged; wool grease is
one of those materials.

*Corresponding author e-mail: hosam@trdegypt.org

DOI: 10.21608/ejchem.2018.4214.1372
©2017 National Information and Documentation Center (NIDOC)
1152
HOSAM EL-DIN ZAKARIA EL-SAYED et al.

TABLE 1. Properties of wool from major sheep breeds [1].

Breed Staple length

Mean fibre diameter
Fibre type
range/(µm)
range /(mm)

Merino 17-25 60-100 Fine

Corriedale 28-33 75-125 Medium

Romney 33-37 125-175 Long, lustrous

Coopworth 35-39 125-175 Coarse, long, lustrous

Perendale 31-35 100-150 Long, bulky

Polwarth 23-26 75-100 Medium, Fine

Lincoln 39-41 175-250 Long, lustrous

Leicester 37-40 150-200 Long, lustrous

Suffolk 30-34 75-100 Short, bulky

Hampshire 26-30 50-75 Short, bulky

Cheviot 28-33 75-100 Bulky, low lustre

Blackface 40-44 180-280 Coarse

Composition of raw wool Wool Greases

Wool is a renewable natural proteinic staple Fats and oils constitute the main components
fibre produced from sheep fleece. The raw fiber of wool wax [5], excreted from the sebaceous
is usually contaminants with three different gland attached to the root of each wool fibre in
components namely; natural, acquired and applied. the basal sheet of the sheep’s skin and gathers
These contaminants, produced by the sheep, inside the wool fibre while it grows [2, 6, 7].
consist of wool wax and suint. The latter comprises This lubricant protects the wool from the effect
a mixture of primarily potassium-based salts of of weathering such as sun, wind and rain. Wool
fatty acids, such as oleic and stearic acids. It was grease constitutes about 10-25% of the sheared
found that suint is secreted from sweat glands of greasy wool [7].
the sheep and dries on the skin and wool fibre.
Suint is very water-soluble and can be withdrawn Wool grease in its crude form is highly viscous
from the native wool by extraction in aqueous and greasy dark paste. So, the crude wool grease
medium [2, 3]. must be refined before it can be used for different
fields even for less critical uses [3]. The purified
Acquired impurities are picked up from the wool grease is usually known either as lanolin,
sheep’s surroundings and they are sorted into mineral wool wax or “wool fat”.
or vegetable contaminants. The former comprise
stones, dirt and sand which could be removed by Physical properties of lanoline
washing. Vegetable matter found in wool fleece Lanolin is a pale-yellow, wax-like substance
includes seedpods, grass straw, twigs, and pieces with pronounced emollient (or soothing)
of plant tissue. Applied chemical impurities; Viz. properties. It melts at 36 °C to 42 °C. It is water-
fertilizers and dip were directly applied to the sheep insoluble, but it can mix without separation with
or to their pasture. These generally only occur in two folds of its weight of water, sparingly soluble
trace quantities and can be very difficult to separate in alcohol, slightly soluble in hot alcohol, and
from the other contaminants [4]. freely soluble in ether and chloroform [8].
Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)
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A COMPREHENSIVE CRITIQUE ON WOOL GREAS...

It blends and combines well with practically been carried out on fatty acids and alcohols that
all other materials used in cosmetics and the esters were formed (Table 2) [3, 9, 10].
pharmaceuticals due to the strong emulsifying
and penetrating properties of lanolin. Its adhesive Upon saponification, it was found that wool
property makes it an excellent candidate for use as wax acids comprise alkanoic, α-hydroxy and
a plasticizer in adhesives and resins. Apart from ω-hydroxy acids. Each group has three distinct
its use in cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries, series which are normal, iso- and anteiso- as
lanolin derivatives are commonly utilized in many shown in Fig.1 [3, 11].
industrial sectors, such as plastics, lubricants,
Wool wax alcohols are the materials which
textile oil, concrete, paint, and ink [3, 7].
derived from the saponification of wool wax.
Chemical Composition of Lanolin The depth investigations of fresh wool wax
Lanolin consists of a complex mixture of sample with liquid gas chromatography and mass
esters and polyesters of high molecular weight spectroscopy represented that wool wax doesn’t
alcohols and fatty acids [9]. Isolation of lanolin contain glycerides which imparted waxy touch
esters is extremely difficult and no conclusions to it, the composition of the total alcohols of the
were found that identify the individual esters wool wax is elucidated in Table 3 [3, 12].
which exist in lanolin. Detailed analyses have

TABLE 2. Constituents of lanoline fatty acids [3, 11].

Number Carbon length major

Lanolin acid Content (wt %) Carbon length
identified fractions
Normal acids 27 12.1 C8-C38 C14, C16, C24, C26
Iso acids 17 22.1 C8-C40 C14, C16, C18, C20, C26
Anteiso acids 18 26.3 C7-C41 C15, C19, C21, C25, C27
Normal α-hydroxy acids 23 21.8 C10-C32 C16
Iso α-hydroxy acids 12 4.5 C12-C34 C18-C24
Anteiso α-hydroxy acids 12 0.8 C11-C33 C23-C25
Normal ω-hydroxy acids 14 3 C22-C36 C30, C32
Iso ω-hydroxy acids 8 0.8 C22-C36 C30, C32
Anteiso ω-hydroxy acids 7 1.3 C23-C35 C25, C31
Total 138
Unsaturated fatty acids 42 2.1 C16, C18
Poly hydroxy fatty acids 4.7
Total fatty acids confirmed 180 99.5

TABLE 3. Composition of mono and 1.2 diols alcohols wool wax alcohol.

Number Carbon length major

Lanolin Alcohols Content (wt. %) Carbon length
identified fractions
Normal- monoalcohol 16 1.6 C14-C34 C24, C26
Iso-monoalcohol 11 6.5 C14-C34 C20, C22, C26
Anteiso-monoalcohol 11 9 C17-C35 C21, C25, C27
Nomal-Aliphatic 1,2 diols 14 0.4 C12-C25 C16, C18, C20
iso-Aliphatic 1,2 diols 9 5.9 C14-C30 C18, C20, C22, C24

anteiso-Aliphatic 1,2 diols 8 2.4 C15-C29 C21, C23

Total aliphatic alcohols 69 25.8

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HOSAM EL-DIN ZAKARIA EL-SAYED et al.

TABLE 4. Constituents of steroid alcohols in lanolin.

H3C (CH2)14 COOH
Content (wt.
Sterols in lanolin
%)
n-hexadecanoic acid
(palmitic acid) Cholesterol 38
dihydrocholesterol trace

(CH2)13 Cholesta-3,5-diene-7-one 3.6

H3C CH COOH
Lanosterol 14.8
CH3 Dihydrolanosterol 10.3
3-hydroxylansta-8-en-7-one 1.6
iso-hexadecanoic acid
(iso-palmitic acid) Hydrocarbons and undetermined
5.9
alcohols

H 3C (CH2)13 CH COOH It has been reported from gas chromatographic

investigations that the aliphatic alcoholic
CH3 compounds in lanoline comprise 17.1 % aliphatic
nonalcohols, 8.7 % aliphatic alkane-diols, 68.3
14-methylhexadecanoic acid % sterol and triterpene alcohols, and 5.9 %
(anteiso-palmitic acid) unidentified and polyols. Figure 2 shows the
structural formula of sterols and lanosterols in
wool wax alcohol [12].
H3C (CH2)14 CH COOH Extraction of wool grease
Methods of extraction
The most usual method that applied to
OH remove the grease and the dirty materials from
wool consumes huge quantities of water and
2-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid surfactants. The grease has been extracted from
α (-hydroxy-palmitic acid) the scouring solids by Soxhlet extraction using
dichloromethane as the solvent [15]. Because of
Fig. 1. Structure of wool wax acids. the potential environmental effects of using this
solvent and to diminish the time of the sample
preparation, some new procedures have been
Bedside the aliphatic alcohol, wool wax developed to replace the traditional wool wax
contains triterpene and sterols. Triterpenes extraction procedure mainly microwave and
are the hydrocarbons and they constitute a supercritical fluids [16, 17].
significant portion of the lipid substances of
Due to supercritical carbon dioxide is inert,
all plants and animals. These substances are non-toxic and non-polar solvent, it is considered
considered as precursors to steroids in both as an appropriate candidate for extraction of wool
plants and animals [6]. grease [18].
Sterols, steroid alcohols, are organic It has been reported that, methanol or acetone
molecules occur naturally in plants, animals, as co-solvents change the polarity of CO2 and
and fungi. Cholesterol and isocholesterol are the hence increasing the solubility of the components
major components of sterols. Isocholestrol is a to extract. Supercritical fluid extraction using
mixture of sterols and the abundant components carbon dioxide and toluene as co-solvent has
of it are: dihydrolanosterol (C30H25O) and also been applied as effective for the extraction
dihydroagnosterol (C30H50O). Table 4 clarified of the wool wax comparing with the conventional
soxhlet system. Moreover, the time for the
the sterols in wool wax [13, 14].
extraction is reduced considerably from 4 h with

Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)

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A COMPREHENSIVE CRITIQUE ON WOOL GREAS...

soxhlet to 45min besides reducing the amount of soxhlet system with reducing the required time
the used solvent [19]. from 4 h to 8min comparing to the soxhlet
extraction technique where the amount of the
Microwave is considered as an interesting applied solvent is reduced from 125 to 10ml [21].
alternative technique for improving the extraction Ultra-sonication is also considered as an eco-
and overcomes organic contaminant extraction friendly effective degreasing system using
represents [20]. distilled water and trichlorethylene as a medium
It was found that microwave extraction gives of propagation-degreasing [22].
the same efficiencies as that achieved by classical

Cholesterol C27H46O Dihydrocholesterol C27H48O

Lanosterol C30H50O Dihydrolanosterol C30H52O

Agnosterol C30H48O Dihydroagnosterol C30H50O

Fig. 2. The structural formula of sterols and lanosterols in wool wax alcohol.

Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)

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HOSAM EL-DIN ZAKARIA EL-SAYED et al.

Wool Grease Recovery where it is mixed with clean hot water and is then
Owing to its low specific gravity, centrifuge separated to give lanoline with purity of about
is usually applied to recover the unoxidised wool 99% [23].
wax from the scour effluent. At present, stacked
disc centrifuges in a similar way to those used in Purification of wool grease
dairy industry in either a 2 or 3 stage separation Purified wool grease is known as lanolin,
and purification process. The main processes which is the product that obtained from
used worldwide for wool grease recovery deodorization, decolonization, neutralization and
include some combination of thermal cracking elimination of water. Wool wax obtained from
and centrifuging. scouring is contaminated with detergent and suint
and is, consequently named lanoline, as different
Single -Stage Wool Grease Recovery from wool wax [24].
Scour effluent heated to at least 64°C is fed
from above into the centre section of the primary First Stage of Refinement
centrifuge. Inside the centrifuge the effluent Due to the colour, odd odor and large amount
flows into the stack of cone shaped discs, which of impurities, wool wax has to be refined further
rotate at approximately 6000 rpm. In the disc before its application [25].
stack the light wool grease outflows between the The techniques and materials used for refining
discs towards the core of the bowl and settled as lanolin differ from one processor to another.
primary cream. The second emulsion phase moves Generally, the initial step includes the break of
downwards between the discs owing to its higher soaps and removal of acid-soluble impurities
density, from where it flows up the outer walls of by refluxing the crude wool wax in an aqueous
the bowl and further discharged at the top of the acid solution. After separation and elimination
centrifuge. Finally, any dirt and heavy solids are of the aqueous phase, alkaline treatment with
also carried down between the discs due to their caustic soda or soda ash was adopted to neutralize
higher density than the aqueous emulsion phase the free fatty acids in wool wax. The obtained
and then continuously separated through jets in soaps can be removed using mixtures of ethanol
the bottom of the bowl wall. The first cream is or isopropanol with water. This is to assure that
then put inside a thermal-cracking tank and left at the undesired impurities are washed from the wax
approximately 90°C for more than five hours. At mixture efficiently [23].
the end of this period the cream splits into three
separate phases [23]. Improving the Purity
An additional decreasing of contaminants can
Two-Stage Wool Grease Recovery be attained through treatment with adsorbents,
In this system, the main centrifuges and such as activated carbon, followed by filtration.
thermal cracking tanks are still used but the Residual odors and pesticides can be removed
cream and emulsion from the cracking tank in by exposure to high vacuum and simultaneous
this time is put inside another tank of secondary heating of the wool wax. This stage also decreases
centrifuges for further purification. The cream the amount of free lanolin alcohols [23].
that obtained from the primary centrifuges is
about 60 – 80% wool wax while that from the Colour Change
secondary centrifuges is characteristically extra At this step of the refinement process, most
of 99% pure [23]. of the impurities - free fatty acids, detergents
and pesticides, will be adequately reduced and
Three-Stage Wool Grease Recovery the product will be pleasantly deodorized. By
In this system a greater amount of the wool bleaching wax with common oxidative reagent
grease is extracted from the effluent by primary such as: hydrogen peroxide, the dark colour
centrifuge. However, the produced primary will have vanished into a pale yellow. Small
cream is about 10 – 20% grease. Subsequently, concentrations of another approved antioxidant,
this high volume low strength primary cream is namely butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT),
then thermally cracked and passed through the are usually added at the end of the refinement
secondary centrifuge at around 90°C resulting in process. This objects the air getting to the
a secondary cream having 70 – 80% wool grease. lanolin and stopping superficial degradation by
Still at 90°C, the cream from the secondary autoxidation [23].
centrifuge is then passed to a purifying centrifuge

Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)

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A COMPREHENSIVE CRITIQUE ON WOOL GREAS...

Final Step Egypt is currently engaged with a research project

Finally, residual water is removed through a to propose new applications of lanolin in textile
vacuum-drying process to give refined lanolin applications. Lanoline is a suitable hydrophobic
anhydrous with a scarcely recognizable odor. candidate for many textile applications including
coloration and finishing of natural and synthetic
Applications of lanoline fibres.
Lanolin is usually utilized in non-textile
applications more than textile ones. The main Personal care products
fields in which lanoline are used are shown below: Being a natural substance designed to soften
skin and wool of sheep, the most important
Anti-corrosive effect on ferrous metals market for lanolin is the personal care products.
Being non-toxic biodegradable substance, Lanolin is an important ingredient in some of the
lanoline meets most of environmental legislations most popular cosmetics and pharmaceuticals all
worldwide. Lanolin is also companionable with over the world.
various additives that modify the uniformity
and physiognomies of the resulting protective Lanolin is used in formulation of foundation
films (e.g. hard, soft, water soluble or insoluble). creams, oil-based skin lotion, toilet soaps, after
Consequently, lanoline liquors are commonly shave, shampoo, and hair bleaching agent [25].
used in protection of metallic constructions which
exist in a highly corrosive media. For instance, Other applications
lanoline is used to protect marine water tanks and Lanolin is used by many manufacturers in
petroleum plants in salty water. The high diffusion producing varnishes, polishes, conditioners,
potential of lanolin-based anti-corrosive liquors hand creams, glues, belt wax, jointing paste, and
makes them the proper choice for rust treatment concrete waterproofing products.
and prevention on automobile parts. In the medical field, lanolin is used in burn
Lubrication dressing and wound sprays, ointment bases,
Lanolin imparts an appreciable lubricating and support for wound healing, trans-dermal agent,
conservative effects to most of metals. It is used dispersing agent for pigmenting medication, and
as lubrication grease for engineering parts, metal ingredient in surgical adhesive tapes [23].
cutting oil, and lubricant for metal processing, e.g. Future Outlook
rolling, grinding, and pressing. By virtue of its viscous and sticky nature,
Textile and leather and due to presence of active functional groups
Tanning is an important step in leather in lanoline; Viz. hydroxyl and carboxylic groups,
processing to avoid its degradation. Lanolin is lanoline may be an appropriate candidate for
a usual additive where fats are added to impart various applications in wet processing of textiles.
softness to leathers after tanning. Additionally, One of promising applications of lanoline in
lanolin is utilized in treatment of weathered textiles is to impart water-repellency to textile
leather, emollient shoe polishes and nourishing fabrics for using in aquatic media and rains.
oil, gloss enhancer and emulsifier. Viscose fabric, for instance, is currently treated
Lanoline is not widely used for textile with lanoline to render it water-proof. Group
applications. The only reported application of of researchers at the National Research Centre
lanoline in the textile sector is as an emollient in Egypt undertakes a simple technique for
that gives a soft finish [23]. Doyle et al patented the production of mechanically durable super
a process in which lanolin is used as a finishing hydrophobic layer on viscose fibers via spray-
agent for hosiery of nylon 6. The general goal of coating of a lanolin-silicon rubber solution in
this invention is to provide a finish which allows petroleum ether.
the production of nylon hosiery having a markedly On the other hand, recycled fabrics from
improved handle or feel and approximately much junk textile wastes can be treated with lanoline
more closely to the handle or feel of natural silk to improve its smoothness and hence improve
than has heretofore been possible [26]. its appearance and performance attributes. In
The Proteinic and Man-made Fibres another recent trial, lanoline is currently tried as
Department at the National Research Centre of a thickening agent pigment printing polyester/
cotton blend.
Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)
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HOSAM EL-DIN ZAKARIA EL-SAYED et al.

Conclusion 6. Seigler D.S., Plant Secondary Metabolism,

Springer Science & Business Media, LLC, Kluwer
No accurate data or systematic studies are Academic Publisher, 1st edition (1998).
available for the percentage of wool grease which
can be extracted from Egyptian wool; namely 7. Schlossman M. L and McCarthy J. P., Lanolin and
Ossemi, Barki, and Rahmani. This means that its derivatives, Journal of American Oils Chemists
about 10 – 15 % of the annual production of wool Society, 55 (4), 447-450 (1978).
in Egypt is not properly utilized and discharged to
8. Patel S., Nelson D. R., and Gibbs A. G., Chemical
drainage water causing loss of expected profits if
and physical analyses of wax ester properties,
properly extracted and exploited.
Journal of Insect Science, 1 (4), 1-7 (2001).
An intensive research work must be directed to
9. Moldovan Z., Jover E., and Maria Bayona J.,
complete characterization of wool wax extracted
Systematic characterisation of long-chain aliphatic
from Egyptian wool fleece to assign its probable
esters of wool wax by gas chromatography–
industrial applications. Proper utilization of
electron impact ionisation mass spectrometry,
lanolin necessitates further work to find new
Journal of Chromatography A, 952, 193–204
applications for lanolin in textile sector. This
(2002).
will have positive ecological as well as economic
impacts. 10. Yao L and Hammond E. G., Isolation and
Melting Properties of Branched-Chain Esters
We believe that microwave irradiation
from Lanolin, The Journal of the American Oil
and ultrasonic waves would be appropriate
Chemists’ Society, 83 (6), 547-552 (2006).
technologies to save time, energy, and chemicals
during wool scouring. The process would be 11. Motiuk K., Wool Wax Acids A Review, Amerchol
more convenient in case of coarse wools; an issue Corporation, A Unit of CPC International Inc.,
which needs future research studies. Amerchol Park, Edison, New Jersey, 08817, 56,
91-97 (1979).
Acknowledgment
12. Motiuk K., Wool Wax Alcohols: A Review, A
This article is a part of a research project
Unit of CPC International, Inc., Amerchol Park,
funded by the National Research Centre; project
Edison, New Jersey 08817, 56, 651-658 (1978).
ID: 11070204.
13. Ačimovič J and Rozman D., Steroidal Triterpenes
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21. López-Mesas M., Carrillo F and Crespi M,
26. Doyle W. F., Pacoag R. I., and Copenhaver D. L.,
Microwave enhanced extraction of wool wax from
Process of applying lanolin finish to nylon hosiery
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and Structural Changes Induced by Ultrasonic
Degrasing of Wool and Human Hair Wastes,

‫نظرة نقدية على إستخالص وخواص وتطبيقات شحم الصوف‬

‫ إيمان الخطيب‬،‫ أميرة أبوالخير‬،‫ سلوى موافي‬،‫حسام السيد‬

.‫ مصر‬- ‫ القاهرة‬-‫ الدقي‬- ‫ المركز القومي للبحوث‬- ‫شعبة بحوث الصناعات النسجية‬

‫يرجع إستغالل شحم الصوف المستخلص من المصارف المائية الناتجة من عملية غسيل فرو الخرفان إلى ألفين‬
‫ في الوقت الحالي‬.‫ قام العمال اليونانيين بإستخالص شحم الصوف‬،‫ منذ حوالي سبعة قرون قبل الميالد‬.‫عام مضت‬
‫ وتعتبر عملية‬.‫يتم صرف كميات هائلة من شحم الصوف إلى الممصارف المائية الناتجة من غشيل الصوف الخام‬
‫ تتناول هذه المقالة الطرق المستحدمة حاليا ً أو تلك‬.‫إسترجاع شحم الصوف ذات أهمية قصوى من الناحية البيئية‬
‫ مع األخذ في اإلعتبار البعدين البيئي واإلقتصادي لتلك‬،‫التي من الممكن إستخدامها في إستخالص شحم الصوف‬
.‫ كما تتناول هذه المقالة بصورة مختصرة الطرق المستخدمة لتنقية شحم الصوف وتحويله إلى النولين‬.‫العمليات‬
‫ مثل إستخدام أشعة الميكروويف‬،‫كما تم عقد مقارنة بين الطرق الحديثة المستخدمة في إستخالص شحم الصوف‬
.‫ ومقارنتها بطرق التسخين التقليدية المستخدمة في إستخالص شحم الصوف‬،‫أو الموجات فوق الصوتية‬

‫وقد ألقى هذا البحث الضوء على الخصائص الفيزيائية والكيميائية لشحم الصوت والتي لها دور كبير في‬
‫ كما تم عرض أهم التطبيقات الحالية للالنولين في مجال الصناعات‬.‫تحديد التطبيقات التي يمكن إستغالله فيها‬
.‫النسيجية وغيرها من المجاالت‬

Egypt.J.Chem. 61, No. 6 (2018)