Antimicrobial performance of cotton finished with triclosan, silver and chitosan

Abstract

Antimicrobial agents are applied on textiles to suppress growth of microorganism, odour generation as well as its deterioration. Cotton fabric was finished with three different types of antimicrobial agents (1) Ultrafresh NMV2: a triclosan based product, (2) N9 Pure silver: a dispersion of pure silver metal, and (3) chitosan to develop antimicrobial characteristics. Finished fabrics were evaluated for their effectiveness against Gram positive bacterium (Staphylococcus aureus) and Gram negative bacterium (Escherichia coli) in terms of percentage reduction in CFU of bacteria. The influence of finishing methods, via. pad-dry and pad-dry-cure followed by repeated launderings, concentrations of antibacterial agents, and pH were optimised. The antimicrobial performance was evaluated prior to laundering and after each five laundering cycles; results were statistically analysed and effects on physical properties of the finished fabric were also evaluated. Triclosan was found to be significantly effective at low concentrations, whereas silver showed remarkably good antimicrobial activity at or above 10 g/L and chitosan was comparably less active compared to others. Cyclic laundering showed statistically significant effect on activity of finishes up to five cycles but it was almost reduced to half for chitosan.

Functionalized Textile Based Therapy for the Treatment of Atopic Dermatitis

“…Textiles act as a good carrier for microorganisms, e.g., mould and fungi, which may cause deterioration of fibers, strength loss, discoloration, and even potential health risks, e.g., skin diseases [46,47]. With the growing public awareness, antimicrobial properties have attracted increasing attention among practitioners and have been successfully imparted to textiles to improve the resilience against microorganisms [47][48][49].…”

“…With the growing public awareness, antimicrobial properties have attracted increasing attention among practitioners and have been successfully imparted to textiles to improve the resilience against microorganisms [47][48][49]. The detrimental effects caused by colonization of microorganisms can be controlled by durable antimicrobial finishing using antimicrobial agents [50], including metals and metal salts [47,51], quaternary ammonium salts [52], chitosan [53], triclosan [46], and natural dyestuffs [54,55]. Currently, antimicrobials have been playing an increasingly important role in addressing textile hygiene in clinical and sensitive environments.…”

“…Among these, since ancient times silver has been the most commonly used antimicrobial agent to fight against infections and prevent spoilage. Silver shows low toxicity to humans, is effective against a broad spectrum of microorganisms, shows high efficiency, and has an 'oligodynamic' nature [46,69]. The forms of application of silver are diverse, including various oxidation states (Ag + , Ag 2+ , and Ag 3+ ) and nanoparticles which act as sources of silver atoms [48,70].…”

“…The forms of application of silver are diverse, including various oxidation states (Ag + , Ag 2+ , and Ag 3+ ) and nanoparticles which act as sources of silver atoms [48,70]. It has been proposed that the antibacterial mechanism seemingly results from the release of silver ions, which pass through the cell membrane of bacteria, causing structural changes in the cell walls by binding to negatively charged components in proteins and nucleic acids leading to proteins inactivation, metabolism disturbance, and growth inhibition, up to the cell's death [46,47].…”

Innovative Multi-Protection Treatments and Free-Salt Dyeing of Cotton and Silk Fabrics

“…Antimicrobial finishes maintain hygiene and enable resistance to infection from pathogens, especially in hospitals, nursing homes, schools, hotels, and crowded public areas. They prevent unpleasant odor on intimate apparel, underwear, socks, athletic wear, and even daily use outfits [14,15]. Additionally, the unpleasant odor has a negative impact on textiles and their comfort properties and damages the aesthetic function of the fabric.…”