Antimicrobial products in textile industry

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Antimicrobial products in textile industry

Fibre2fashion.com - Ahmedabad,Gujarat,India*

By : Fibre2fashion.com

http://www.fibre2fashion.com/industry-article/11/1017/antimicrobial-

products-in-textile-industry1.asp

Introduction:

As far as health-related professions are concerned, protection from

pathogens is a growing concern, and textiles with antimicrobial

properties are becoming more desirable. Fungi or similar other

insects are responsible for lethal infections and allergic

reactions. Despite the production of antimicrobial textile products;

three inherent problems remain:

Demonstration of efficacy,

Claiming efficacy in a manner that does not invite legal challenge

and,

Maintaining efficacy over the lifetime of the textile and through

generations of microbial challenges.

These problems might be restated as how to test and present the

results of the testing, how to make the effect durable, and how to

avoid microbial resistance to the treatment. These problems combine

so that in spite of the obvious commercial and advertising

potential, effective, durable, inexpensive, and safe biocidal

textiles are not widely available in the market. It is of note that

one promising compound which has been appearing commercially in a

variety of products has just encountered its first resistant

organism

Antimicrobial Technologies in Textiles:

Whether the performance or technical fabric is ultimately used

outdoors, indoors, or on the body challenges such as microbial

control, moisture management, odor control, elasticity, and even

softness are prevalent. These challenges offer new opportunities to

wisely seek technologies to address those needs whether you are

looking for a single or combination of features.

This discussion will address the considerations important in

choosing the right finishes for your customers performance needs,

i.e. durability, ease of application, safety, and ultimate end-use

performance requirements. Consumers needs drive the product value

chain and features of value make the margin difference for

marketplace success.

The inherent properties of the textile fibres provide room for the

growth of micro-organisms. Besides, the structure of the substrates

and the chemical processes may induce the growth of microbes. Humid

and warm environment still aggravate the problem. Infestation by

microbes cause cross infection by pathogens and development odour

where the fabric is worn next to skin. In addition, the staining and

loss of the performance properties of textile substrates are the

results of microbial attack. Basically, with a view to protect the

wearer and the textile substrate itself antimicrobial finish is

applied to textile materials.

Historical Account:

During World War II, when cotton fabrics were used extensively for

tentage, tarpaulins and truck covers, these fabrics needed to be

protected from rotting caused by microbial attack. This was

particularly a problem in the South Pacific campaigns, where much of

the fighting took place under jungle like conditions. During the

early 1940 s, the US army Quartermaster Crops collected and compiled

data on fungi, yeast and algae isolated from textiles in tropical

and subtropical areas throughout the world. Cotton duck, webbing and

other military fabrics were treated with mixtures of chlorinated

waxes, copper and antimony salts that stiffened the fabrics and gave

them a peculiar odour. At the time, potential polluting effects of

the application of, these materials and toxicity-related issue were

not a major consideration. After World War II, and as late as the

mid-to-late 1950.s fungicides used on cotton fabrics were compounds

such as 8-hydroxygiunoline salts, copper naphthenate, copper

ammonium fluoride and chlorinated phenals.

What Are Microbes?

Microbes are the tiniest creatures not seen by the naked eye. They

include a variety of micro-organisms like Bacteria, Fungi, Algae and

viruses. Bacteria are uni-cellular organisms which grow very rapidly

under warmth and moisture. Further, sub divisions in the bacteria

family are Gram positive (Staphylococcus aureus), Gram negative (E-

Coli), spore bearing or non spore bearing type. Some specific types

of bacteria are pathogenic and cause cross infection. Fungi, molds

or mildew are complex organisms with slow growth rate. They stain

the fabric and deteriorate the performance properties of the

fabrics. Fungi are active at a pH level of 6.5. Algae are typical

micro organisms which are either fungal or bacterial. Algae require

continuous sources of water and sun light to grow and develop darker

stains on the fabrics

The hospital and healthcare systems are challenged by the presence

of microorganisms and the negative effects they cause.

Deterioration, defacement and odors are all dramatic effects which

occur from the microbial contamination of surfaces as varied as

uniforms and medical non-woven fabrics to medical devices and hard

surfaces i.e., walls, ceilings, and air duct systems. Most

significantly, these surfaces can act as microbial harbors and

transfer site (vectors), offering ideal environments for the

proliferation and spread of microorganisms that are harmful to

buildings, textiles, and humans. The ability to make microbial

resistant surfaces in a healthcare environment has advantages in

many applications.

In spite of the many precautions taken to prevent or reduce the

transmission of harmful organisms in hospitals, such as hand-

cleaning, housekeeping, and laundry protocols, the risk of cross

contamination of surfaces and textiles to patients and staff is

considerable. Any textile material and hard surface in a hospital

environment is a potential carrier of infectious agents such as

bacteria, fungi, and yeast. The only effective strategy for reducing

such infections and the conditions for reservoirs of organisms where

resistance is stimulated is to reduce the dose of microorganisms

throughout the healthcare complex using safe persistent

antimicrobial technologies to treat such surfaces and to maintain

the highest standards of hygiene and use protocols for antibiotics.

Major Challenges:

The problems of allergy and asthma are steadily increasing. One of

their major causes is the dust mite, which thrives in the bedding,

carpets and furniture of every home. But, today, textile treatments

are available. The result - a more comfortable home for those who

suffer from these chronic sicknesses. Allergies and asthma seem to

be an increasing phenomenon of our everyday lives. We all know at

least one person who suffers from these chronic problems. In some

parts of the world over 40% of the population shows allergy

symptoms. India has been identified as one of the hot spots for

asthma around the world. The explanation for this increase is mostly

related to the fact that we now live cleaner lives in an air-

conditioned world. We might not have to deal with serious diseases

like smallpox or polio. Instead, we have a series of smaller

complaints, which are perhaps related to our lifestyles. Asthma can

be triggered because of a number of reasons. However, in the last

few years, we have realised that the cause for a significant amount

of allergies and asthma can be attributed to one creature the house

dust mite. The World Health Organization has named asthma as one of

the major health problems of the current period. The prevalence of

dust mites is no unique phenomenon. They exist on every continent,

in every country and in every house.

They include:

Runny or stuffy nose, chronic rhinitis,

Itchy and watery eyes,

Sneezing,

Asthma attacks,

Wheezing coughs,

Shortness of breath,

Signs of allergy while making the bed,

A general feeling of being unwell, without being extremely ill,

Antimicrobial Treatment:

By incorporating this type of finish into textiles and fabrics,

wearers will be protected from microbiological attack. There are

different kinds of antimicrobial finishes, appropriate for different

applications and levels of protection. One major application of

antimicrobial finish is in the medical field. Medical applications

demand powerful bactericidal antimicrobials that will perform

quickly to help maintain sterile environments. In case of

institutional applications such as uniforms and hotel/ restaurant

fabric, the antimicrobial would only be required to have a

bacteriostatic effect to control stains and odour. Apparel and home

textile applications such as active wear, bed linen, hosiery,

underwear, carpeting, etc, will also use antimicrobial activity to

control odour and staining.

One major application of antimicrobial finish is in the medical

fieldto help maintain sterile environments.

Antimicrobial treatment for textile materials is necessary to

fulfill the following objectives:

To avoid cross infection by pathogenic micro organisms;

To control the infestation by microbes;

To arrest metabolism in microbes in order to reduce the formation

odour; and

To safeguard the textile products from staining, discolouration and

quality deterioration.

It is neither possible nor desirable to remove all the dust mites

from our environment. They are an important part of the ecosystem.

However, it would be useful to eliminate them from the immediate

surroundings of those suffering from asthma. This could be done by

removing all possible homes for the mites, such as bedding and

carpets. But this is a rather drastic measure. Just because a person

suffers from an allergy, he/she does not have to sleep in a bare

cell. Nowadays, there are treatments available for textiles and

carpets, which create an inhospitable environment for the dust mite.

This stops the dust mites from inhabiting these locations, thereby,

keeping them relatively free of the allergens. The textile

treatments used against dust mites have a long history of use as

anti-fungal agents. There seems to be a relationship between fungal

protection and the inhibition of dust mites. There are a number of

theories, which talk about the exact nature of this relationship,

but none has been clearly proven. However, it can be demonstrated

that anti-bacterial treatments, which are not anti-fungal, have no

effect on the dust mite. In addition, it is important to note that

not all anti-fungal products have anti-dust mite properties.

Requirements for Antimicrobial Finish:

Textile materials in particular, the garments are more susceptible

to wear and tear. It is important to take into

account the impact of stress strain, thermal and mechanical effects

on the finished substrates.

The following requirements need to be satisfied to obtain maximum

benefits out of the finish:

Durability to washing, dry cleaning and hot pressing;

Selective activity to undesirable microorganisms;

Should not produce harmful effects to the manufacturer, user and the

environment;

Should comply with the statutory requirements of regulating

agencies;

Compatibility with the chemical processes;

Easy method of application;

No deterioration of fabric quality;

Resistant to body fluids; and

Resistant to disinfections/sterilization.

Antimicrobial Finishing Methodologies:

The antimicrobial agents can be applied to the textile substrates by

exhaust, pad-dry-cure, coating, spray and foam techniques. The

substances can also be applied by directly adding into the fibre

spinning dope. It is claimed that the commercial agents can be

applied online during the dyeing and finishing operations. Various

methods for improving the durability of the finish include:

Insolubilisation of the active substances in/on the fibre;

Treating the fibre with resin, condensates or cross linking agents;

Micro encapsulation of the antimicrobial agents with the fibre

matrix;

Coating the fibre surface;

Chemical modification of the fibre by covalent bond formation; and

Use of graft polymers, homo polymers and/or copolymerization on to

the fibre.

Application of Antimicrobial in different sectors:

Paints & Coatings

Plastics

Consumer Products

Food & Beverage Processing

Medical & Healthcare

Restaurants & Loading

Others

Percentage of Anti-microbial products application in various

Industries

Benefits of Antimicrobial Textiles:

A wide range textile product is now available for the benefit of the

consumer. Initially, the primary objective of the finish was to

protect textiles from being affected by microbes particularly fungi.

Uniforms, tents, defence textiles and technical textiles, such as,

geotextiles have therefore all been finished using antimicrobial

agents. Later, the home textiles, such as, curtains coverings, and

bath mats came with antimicrobial finish.

The application of the finish is now extended to textiles used for

outdoor, healthcare sector, sports and leisure. Novel technologies

in antimicrobial finishing are successfully employed in non-woven

sector especially in medical textiles. Textile fibres with built-in

antimicrobial properties will also serve the purpose alone or in

blends with other fibres. Bioactive fibre is a modified form of the

finish which includes chemotherapeutics in their structure, i.e.

synthetic drugs of bactericidal and fungicidal qualities. These

fibres are not only used in medicine and health prophylaxis

applications but also for manufacturing textile products of daily

use and technical textiles. The field of application of the

bioactive fibres includes sanitary materials, dressing materials,

surgical threads, materials for filtration of gases and liquids, air

conditioning and ventilation, constructional materials, special

materials for food industry, pharmaceutical industry, footwear

industry, clothing industry, automotive industry etc.

References:

1) www.aegismicrobeshield.com/

2) www.aegisasia.com/

3) www.indiantextilejournal.com

4) www.resil.com

5) www.ieindia.org

6) The Freedonia Group