RESEARCH ARTICLE | JULY 07 2023

Utilization of lorotis weed (Aeschynomene Indica) as natural

textile dyes: Soil pollution prevention in the use of
pesticides 
Atika  ; E. Rinasti; P. Wulansari; Musdalifah; S. Nurrohmah

AIP Conference Proceedings 2677, 100002 (2023)

https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0111927

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10 July 2023 01:38:31

 Utilization of Lorotis Weed (Aeschynomene Indica) as
Natural Textile Dyes: Soil Pollution Prevention in the Use of
Pesticides
Atika 1,a), E. Rinasti 1,b), P. Wulansari 1,c), Musdalifah 1,d), S. Nurrohmah 1,e)
1
Engineering Faculty, Universitas Negeri Semarang, UPT Pusat Humas, Gedung H Lantai 2
Kampus Sekaran Gunungpati Semarang, 50299, Indonesia
a)
Corresponding author: atikaft@mail.unnes.ac.id
b)
endahrinasti@gmail.com
c)
Wulan_sari@mail.unnes.ac.id
d)
musdalifahpkk@mail.unnes.ac.id
e) sitinurrohmah@mail.unnes.ac.id

Abstract. The growth of weeds as “undesirable” plant needs to be controlled. The main controller for weed removal is
pesticides. However, pesticides cause pollution towards soil, water, air, and human. Alternatives are needed in controlling
weeds. The weed to be experimented with is Lorotis weed (Aeschynomene Indica). The independent variables in this study
were quicklime mordant, lime mordant, and iron sulfate mordant. The dependent variable is color aging and color fastness
to washing. The control variables in this study were 1 kg of lorotis weed, 5 liters of water, 1.5 m of primishima mori, 10
minutes of mordant generation with a ratio of 250 grams of mordant: 2.5 liters of water, 10 minutes of immersion, 15 times

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the sample frequency. Results of the study showed that Lorotis weed has the potential to be used as a textile dye. Textile
dyeing process needs to be supported by mordanting process. Iron sulfate mordant is proven to produce color with the
highest level of color intensity. While the color fastness test showed that quicklime mordant has a good fastness level.

INTRODUCTION
Weeds are unwanted plants grow beside main plants. They are basically plants that incidentally planted and are
against human needs [1]. Weeds are highly dependent on host plants to complete life cycle by drawing on source of
nutrition in the main plants [2]. The persistence of weeds may lead to tremendous yield losses. Weeds are also a major
constraint to agricultural production causing significant economic damage [3]. In addition, weeds can cause
agricultural land to be uncultivated. It is even stated that weeds can cause crop loss of more than 33 billion per year
[4]. The growth of weeds as an 'invasive' plant needs to be controlled. Weed’s control is a challenge because it is
difficult to apply selective control methods to kill weeds without damaging the main crop.
The main control for weed removal is the use of pesticides. Pesticides application is considered to be the most
effective way in protecting plant from pests. However, only 1% of pesticides substance can exterminate pests, the rest
will only damage soil enzyme, water enzyme, air enzyme, and even can affect non-target species including humans
[5]. Pesticides indirectly generate high risks to human trough food chain and natural resources pollution. For instance,
pesticide pollution causes increasing cancer cases [6]. Pesticides shows negative effect on health due to its ability to
last long in the environment, especially disrupting endocrine compounds (EDC) which often leads to increased risk
of obesity and neurological problems [7].
The use of pesticides in eradicating weeds has been proven to have a negative effect on environment and even
humans. Therefore, the use of pesticides must be controlled and reduced. The way that can be done is by using weeds.
Many studies on weeds are only limited to eradicating weeds as parasites. However, this study will discuss the
potential of weeds that can be used as textile dyes. Besides controlling the use of pesticides, the use of weeds as textile
dyes can be an alternative to reduce the risk of environmental pollution due to synthetic dyes [8]. The weed to be
experimented with is Lorotis weed (Aeschynomene Indica). Lorotis weed contains chlorophyll pigments and
carotenoids or carotenes that can generate color in plants so that they can be used as natural textile dyes. It is indicated
by the stains on the white cloth scratched with lorotis weed [9]. This is an early indication that the plant can be used

Proceeding of The 2nd International Conference on Engineering Science and Technology (ICEST 2021)
AIP Conf. Proc. 2677, 100002-1–100002-6; https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0111927
Published by AIP Publishing. 978-0-7354-4464-5/$30.00

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as a textile dye. The purpose of this study was to determine the potential use of lorotis weed as a natural textile dye,
as well as to examine the differences in the quality of the coloring results from the aspect of color intensity and
intensity using different processes and types of mordant.

LITERATURE REVIEW

Potential pigment in lorotis weed

Pigments are natural dyes which are a group of compounds derived from animals or plants. Most of the color
pigments can be obtained from plant products with different color potentials depending on their chemical structure.
In general, color-generating plant pigment groups are chlorophyll, carotenoids, flavonoids and quinones.
Young lorotis (Aeschynomene Indica) seeds are green; when they get older the seed coat turns grayish black.
Lorotis (aeschynomene indica) life span ranges between 4 to 5 months.
This weed grows during the rainy season and will begin to dry up when the dry season arrives [10]. Lorotis weed
contains chlorophyll and carotenoids or carotenes that generate color to the plant, so that it can be used as natural
textile dye. It is indicated by the stains on the white cloth scratched with lorotis weed [9]. Lorotis weed can be seen in
Figure 1.

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FIGURE 1. Lorotis (aeschynomene indica)

Textile dyeing process using lorotis weed

Lorotis weeds are extracted by boiling, in which all the ingredients used as natural dyes are heated in boiling water
to produce the desired color. Extraction is separation process of substances from solids or liquids with the help of
solvents [11]. The boiling process is carried out until half of the water remains (50% of the initial water volume) [12].
The amount of natural dye solution needed depends on the amount of fabric being dyed. The commonly used ratio is
1:10. The pH solution greatly affects the dye extraction. The optimal pH solution for dye extraction was 12 [13].

Mordanting process
Most natural dyes require mordant as dye fixative on fiber [14]. The mordanting process is a procedure carried out
on textile fabrics using metal salts or other forming substances that have binding properties toward natural dyes with
the aim of preserving or binding the color in textile fibers [15]. Mordant can also be considered as a color producer
that helps the absorption of natural dyes into textile fibers [16]. Mordanting technique is carried out in 3 ways, (1) pre-
mordanting, material dyeing is done by soaking the material in metal compound first, after cleanly rinsed, the material
is dyed with dye; (2) simultaneous mordanting, namely the dyeing process of material carried out with a dye solution
consisting of both dye and mordant; (3) post-mordanting, dyeing process in which the metal mordant is added after
the dye solution is all absorbed into the material [17]. Mordant which contains metal ions to bind textile fibers plays
an important role in determining the final color result obtained [18].

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 RESEARCH METHOD

The research method carried out in this study was an experimental research method. The experimental method was
applied in the fabric dyeing process using lorotis weed (aeschynomene indica) extract with iron sulfate, quicklime,
and lime mordant. Gulma lorotis is extracted by the boiling, which is to boil the ingredients used as natural dyes to
produce the desired color. The boiling process is carried out until half of water remains (50% of the initial water
volume [8]. The amount of natural color solution needed depends on the amount of fabric dyed. The usual ratio used
is 1:10. For example, 1 kilogram of fabric should be dyed using 10 liters of it. Ph Solution strongly affects dye
extraction. The tool used in color intensity test is a Spectrophotometer (UV-PC) while grey scale was used in
examining the color resistance to washing process. The test was conducted at textile evaluation laboratory, Department
of Textile-Chemical Engineering UII Yogyakarta. Grey scale was done by comparing the tested sample material to
the original color sample, accordingly to rows of color change standard from the lowest to the highest level. This was
intended to analyze the experimental results before and after testing. Color change assessment standards are shown in
Table 1.

TABLE 1. Color change assessment standards (grey scale)

Color Working Standard Color Intensity
Color Intensity
Differentiation (in Tolerance (in units Evaluation
Value
units of CD) of CD)
5 0 0,0 Excellent
4-5 0,8 ± 0,2 Good
4 1,5 ± 0,2 Good
3-4 2,1 ± 0,2 Pretty Good
3 3,0 ± 0,2 Fair
2-3 4,2 ± 0,3 Poor
2 6,0 ± 0,5 Poor

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1-2 8,5 ± 0,7 Bad
1 12,0 ± 1,0 Bad

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Spectrophometer test (UV-PC)

The results of color intensity test on primishima fabric dyed with lorotis weed extract (aeschynomene indica) can
be seen in Table 2 and Figure 2.
Based on the results of the spectrophometer (UV-PC) test, the color intensity of each mordant has different levels.
Table 2 and Figure 2 show the R value (%) of color intensity on primishima fabric dyed with lorotis weed
(aeschynomene indica) extract as follows; 52.74 in the sample without mordant, 38.48 in the lime mordant sample,
34.93 in the primishima fabric dyed in quicklime mordant and 16.28 in the iron sulfate mordant sample.
The result of primishima fabric dyed with lorotis weed (aeschynomene indica) extract with the lowest R value was
using iron sulfate mordant, meaning the color produced was the most intense. Whereas the highest R value was found
in the fabric sample without using mordant. This indicates that the dyed fabric without mordant produces the brightest
color.
Various studies stated that iron sulfate contains high level of iron cations. Consequently, when iron sulfate mordant
is applied, the color intensity is higher [19]. Similar findings was demonstrated by another studies in which the use of
iron sulfate as a mordant in dyeing cotton fabrics using ketapang leaf extract gave a darker color effect and had the
lowest brightness level than other types of mordant [20]. This is in line with the results of studies providing evidence
that the darkest color is obtained on cotton fabrics dyed with iron sulfate mordant [21]. The same thing was revealed
that the use of iron sulfate mordant can produce high motif sharpness [22]. The results of these studies provide
evidence and support for the results of color intensity test on primishima fabrics dyed in lorotis weed (aeschynomene
indica). Iron sulfate proved to be the strongest mordant to bind color, meaning that it produced the most intense color
among other mordant.

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 TABLE 2. Color intensity value
Color intensity test Lorotis weed (aeschynomene indica) extract
Mordant Types Without Lime Quicklime Iron Sulfate
Mordant Mordant Mordant Mordant
Result 52,74 38,48 34,93 16,28
*Description: declared in R magnitude (%), the smaller the value of R, the higher the value of
color intensity

In graphic, the value of color intensity can be seen in Figure 2.

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FIGURE 2. Graphic on Color Intensity Value

Fastness Test

The results of the color fastness test against washing process can be examined from discoloration (Grey Scale).
The value of the color fastness test (Grey Scale) of primishima fabric dyed with lorotis weed (Aeschynomene indica)
can be seen in Table 3.

TABLE 3. Color Fastness to Washing Value (Grey Schale)

Color Fastness
Lorotis Weed (aeschynomene indica) Extract
Test
Mordan Types Without Lime Mordant Quicklime Iron Sulfate
Mordant Mordant Mordant
CD 4,2 3,0 1,5 2,1
Test Value I 2-3 3 4 3-4
Test Value II 2-3 3 4 4
Criteria Poor Fair Good Pretty Good

Table 3 shows that the primishima fabric dyed with lorotis weed (aeschynomene indica) without mordant in the
test value I considered to be in the poor category, after the second test the value remains in the poor category, namely
2-3. Primishima fabric that uses lime mordant as shown in the test value I is in the fair category, after the second test
the value remains in the fair category, namely 3. Fabrics that are dyed using quicklime mordant as shown in the test
value I is in the good category, after conducting the second test the value is still in the good category, which shows
value of 4. Fabrics dyed with lorotis weed (aeschynomene indica) using mordant iron sulfate as shown in the test value

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I is in the pretty good category with numbers 3-4, after the second test the value moves to the good category, namely
4.
Based on the results of the study, the best fastness level was achieved by the fabric that uses quicklime mordant,
whereas the lowest fastness level was achieved by the fabric that dyed without mordant. From these results it is proven
that mordant has an important role in the process of dyeing fabrics. This is in line with studies stating that the mordant
method is very significant to color characteristics and intensity [23]. Another study discovered that the use of mordant
had a statistically significant effect on dyeing [24].

CONCLUSION

Lorotis weed (Aeschynomene indica) has the potential to be utilized as a natural dye in the fabric dyeing process.
The use of different mordant will produce different color intensity. Iron sulfate Mordant was proven to produce colors
with the highest level of color intensity. This means that fabrics dyed in iron sulfate mordant produces the darkest
color compared to other mordant. The color intensity test to washing showed 'good' results on fabrics dyed in
quicklime mordant and “poor” results on fabrics dyed without mordant. This indicates that using mordant plays an
important role in fabric dyeing process as a color binder to textile materials.

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