Antimicrobial Fabrics using Conocarpus erectusaqueous extract

Abstract

This research aims to establish the possibility of using Conocarpus erectusaqueous extract as a natural dye resource in pigment-printing of wool and nylon fabrics. Also, the antibacterial activity of the extract and prints is evaluated. Material and Methods Materials Dye Conocarpus erectus extract and used as a pigment colour. Fabrics Mill-scoured wool fabric (100%) supplied by Misr company for spinning and weaving, Mehalla El-Kubra, Egypt.Nylon: Mill-scoured natural silk fabric supplied by Hussein M. El-Khatib Sons Co., Suhag, Egypt. I N the current study, the aqueous extract of the shoots of Conocarpus erectus L. (Combretaceae family), was found to be rich in tannins,flavonoids and other phenolics. It showed good inhibitory activity against all tested Gram positive bacteria with zones of inhibition range from 11 to 15 mm at 2000 μg concentration. The appropriateness of wool and nylon fabrics with Conocarpuserectus L. extract using pigment printing technique has been discussed. The effect of different laborers as extract concentration, thickener type, pH, fixation type and mordant type has been investigated. The prints were estimated by measuring color strength (K/S) value and the overall fastness properties. The results exhibited that K/S of the prints increases with extract concentration increases from 10 to 40 ml/100 g printing paste. The highest K/S was obtained by using Meypro gum as a thickening agent. Furthermore, K/S of the fixed prints by steam-fixation for 30 min was higher than those in case of thermo-fixation. Use the mordant in the printing paste has no apparent effect on the K/S values, overall fastness properties were ranging between very good and excellent. Printed fabrics have antibacterial activity especially against Gram +ve bacteria.