The retention of malodours, especially sweat on fabrics, is a widely discussed problem in the textile industry and science. Since a quantitative analysis of the retention of sweat odour molecules on fibres has not been addressed so far, we used liquid scintillation counting to measure the adhesion/dehesion of 14C‐labelled isovaleric acid, a lead substance of sweat odour, to knitted fabrics of comparable textile structure made of pure cotton, wool or polyester. Significant retention differences were detected, with polyester showing the highest release of isovaleric acid after 3 h and 20 h. Fabric finishes with β‐cyclodextrin enhanced odour retention on cotton and polyester considerably. To study local influences of the clothing materials on odour release, we simulated in diffusion chamber cells a fabric/human skin wear situation using an artificial skin with skin‐like composition, topology and mechanical characteristics. Unidirectional transepidermal water vapour release of the skin model modulated the odour retention. Finally, all samples were subjected to a sensory evaluation test with trained panellists using olfactometry and a non‐labelled artificial sweat containing isovaleric acid as lead substance. Again, polyester showed little retention capacities, whereas the cyclodextrin finish enhanced binding of the artificial sweat and thus reduced its perception. The phase II approach revealed that perceived malodour intensity clearly depended on the finish and fibre type. The presented data and methods provide a basis for future optimization of clothes in terms of sweat odour management in their respective end uses, e.g. sport or business activities. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Medicated wound dressings incorporate chemicals which have therapeutic value. The objective of this study was to investigate the in vitro model drug release from a biodegradable needle web, based on medicated cellulosic hollow fibres, which self-dissolve in the presence of aqueous solutions. Cellulose hollow fibres were prepared by a standard dry-wet phase inversion spinning process. Dressings were made using established techniques in the nonwoven industry. Two sets of hollow fibres were filled with different drug solutions: One set contained the enzyme cellulase and the second set was filled with either antibacterial Pseudomonas aeruginosaspecific bacteriophages, or the wound debriding enzyme Krillase ®. Both fibre sets were freeze-dried to (i) inactivate the spontaneous biodegradation of the fibres by cellulase and (ii) to preserve the wound healing activities of the biotherapeutic model drugs. Needle webs containing different mixing ratios of the two sets of hollow fibres were made. Whereas bacteriophages were released after rewetting the webs in in-vitro experiments with high burst effect, Krillase ® showed a sustained drug release over 20 h, which was found to be dependent on the mixing ratio of cellulase versus Krillase ®-hollow fibres. Possible release mechanisms and therapeutic benefits are discussed. In summary, needle webs of medicated cellulosic hollow fibres are a new self-dissolving drug delivery system.

This study evaluated the allergen impermeability against airborne allergens of dust mite droppings through all parts of commercial bed covers, including surface seams and zippers. Specimens were taken from places with and without seams and zipper. A novel penetration cell was developed to expose the specimens to an inoculum of purified mite droppings that was assessed for its allergen content Der p1 prior to the penetration tests. Using covers of different construction and material, the penetration level increased significantly in the presence of seams and zippers and could reach up to 6% depending on the seam's/zipper's characteristics and quality. Therefore, zippers and seams have to be considered as access points for the penetration of mite droppings. As for the penetration of airborne mite particles through the zipper, the penetration level was greatly attenuated by the presence of a cover strip. Depending on the respective quality and the construction type, the mite allergen Der p1 penetrated most likely through the zipper and seams of the specimens, already after a single laundry cycle. Hence, laundry may compromise the barrier performance and proves to be an important quality feature. In all samples, the textile surface showed sufficient allergen impermeability. Our conclusions provide recommendations to both manufacturers and users.