Textile materials are usually treated with chemicals like sodium hypochlorite and high
temperatures to ensure sterility. This poses two potential problems: (1) it has a negative effect
on strength properties of the textile fabric; (2) the harmful chemicals are discarded into the
environment. Therefore, better and safer methods need to be investigated.
A process has been developed where electro-chemically activated water (Anolyte) is produced
by an anode-cathode system and the process is described as a change of the molecular state of
the water. After production, the Anolyte exists in a metastable state while containing many
free radicals and a variety of molecules and a very high oxidation-reduction potential. It
returns to a stable state after 48 hours and become inactive again and, therefore, it is not a
threat to the environment when discarded after use. Anolyte has been shown to be an effective
disinfection agent in other areas such as the food industry.
The aim of this study was to determine if Anolyte could reduce E. coli and Staph. aureus on
textiles to the same extent as sodium hypochlorite and be effective without implementing
such high temperatures. The influence of the Anolyte on textile material should also be
evaluated to ensure that it could be used without damaging textile materials more than the
currently used disinfection agents.
The antimicrobial effect of the Anolyte was determined by contaminating cotton, polyester
and polyester/cotton fabric swatches with E. coli and Staph. aureus, respectively. Survival
was determined after laundering with the respective wash liquors. AATCC Test Method 61-
2009 was used with the LaunderOmeter. Wash liquors included filtered water, phosphate
reference detergent B, sodium hypochlorite and Anolyte. Temperatures were maintained at
24, 30 or 60°C. The cotton, polyester/cotton and polyester were laundered for 5, 10 or 20
cycles respectively for the evaluation of the influence on tensile strength and tearing strength.
The tensile strength tests were conducted with the Instron Tensile Tester and ISO/SANS
13934-1:1999 test method. The tearing strength tests were conducted with the Elmendorf
Tearing Strength tester as per ASTM Test Method D 1424 - 63.
The results indicated that Anolyte destroyed all E. coli and Staph. aureus on all the fabrics
regardless of the temperature. The effect of the other agents were enhanced by the increasing
temperature, but after laundering at 60°C no survival was found as a result of the high
temperature. The Anolyte did not influence the strength properties of the cotton, polyester and
polyester/cotton fabrics to a larger extent than the detergent or sodium hypochlorite solution. An increase in maximum load required to break the fabric and displacement at maximum load
was found for the cotton and polyester/cotton fabrics after laundering treatments, while a
decrease was caused after laundering of the polyester fabric. A decrease in tearing strength of
all the fabrics was found after laundering with the treatments. The Anolyte also did not affect
the dimensional stability of the fabrics.
It could be concluded that the Anolyte is a viable alternative to currently used sodium
hypochlorite, while it is effective at low temperatures. The Anolyte do not affect the textile
fabrics more negatively than the detergent and sodium hypochlorite combination, and could,
therefore, be a successful alternative.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-08162012-112750 |
| Date | 16 August 2012 |
| Creators | Vermaas, Jana F |
| Contributors | Prof CJ Hugo, Prof HJH Steyn |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-08162012-112750/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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