Handbook of Natural Colorants

Concentration on renewable resources, sustainability andreplacement of oil based products are driving forces to reassessthe potential of natural resources including natural colorants. Thegrowing consumer interest in purchasing "green"products, which exhibit an improved environmental profile, can beseen as the break-through force needed to reintroduce naturalcolorants into the modern markets.
Written by scientists with specialised knowledge in the field,Handbook of Natural Colorants provides a unique source ofinformation, summarising the present knowledge of natural colorantsin depth. Supporting researchers in this emerging field ofsustainable chemistry, it provides easy access to the theory andpractice of natural colorants from different viewpoints, includingagricultural, economic and legislative aspects.
Topics covered include:
* History of coloration technology
* Present position of natural colorants
* Regional plant source availability
* Specific application techniques
* Chemical properties that professional dyers and chemists haveto consider
* Agricultural sourcing of dyes with an emphasis on renewableresources
* Discussions on energy and material balance issues arising fromthe sourcing of materials
* Production aspects of colorants, leading on to the keyapplications
* Environmental and economic aspects
Also included are the pros and cons of natural dyestuffs,presenting some promising results and evaluating the potential useof vegetable dyes as alternatives to chemical-based ones with afocus on green chemistry