Recent Advances in Antimicrobial Treatments of Textiles

Abstract

The growth of microbes on textiles during use and storage negatively affects the wearer as well as the textile itself. The detrimental effects can be controlled by durable antimicrobial finishing of the textile using broad-spectrum biocides or by incorporating the biocide into synthetic fibers during extrusion. Consumers' attitude towards hygiene and active lifestyle has created a rapidly increasing market for antimicrobial textiles, which in turn has stimulated intensive research and development. This article reviews the requirements for antimicrobial finishing, qualitative and quantitative evaluations of antimicrobial efficacy, the application methods of antimicrobial agents and some of the most recent developments in antimicrobial treatments of textiles using various active agents such as silver, quaternary ammonium salts, polyhexamethylene biguanide, triclosan, chitosan, dyes and regenerable N-halamine compounds and peroxyacids. Examples of commercial antimicrobial products are presented to illustrate the active agents used and their finishing methods.

Antimicrobial Effectiveness of Cellulose based Fabrics treated with Silver Nitrate Solution using Plasma Processes

“…Silver ions inhibit cell division and damage the cell envelope and content of bacteria [11]. Antimicrobial textiles are used in medical technology, health, hygiene products, home textiles, water treatment systems, as well as clothes for everyday use and personal protection [4,12]. Physical sputtering and Plasma Enhanced Chemical Vapor Deposition (PE-CVD) under low-pressure plasmas are dominant techniques used in textile nishing [1].…”

Efficiency of Medical Workers’ Uniforms with Antimicrobial Activity

“…Various antimicrobial textile materials are developed using a variety of active agents which include synthetic antimicrobial agents such as triclosan, metal and their salts, phenols, quaternary ammonium compounds (QAC), and organometallics. When evaluating antimicrobial treated textiles the principle of antimicrobial agent fixation (Figure 1) to the fabric is crucial, since it is closely related to the mechanism of antimicrobial activity [9,10]. Leaching antimicrobials that are not chemically bound to the textile are gradually and persistently released from the textile into their surroundings where they demonstrate their antimicrobial activity.…”

Application of Enriched Fraction of Seabuckthorn Leaf Extract as Antimicrobial Finish on Technical Textile

“…A number of antimicrobial chemicals have been developed and quite a few are also available commercially 32 . Although the synthetic antimicrobial agents are very effective against a range of microbes and give a durable effect on textiles, they are cause of concern due to the associated side effects, action on non-target microorganisms and water pollution 17 . Hence, there is a great demand for antimicrobial textiles based on ecofriendly natural antimicrobial agents.…”

“…Many of these chemicals, however, are toxic to humans and do not easily degrade in the environment. In recent years, the textile industry looks for non toxic, non allergic and ecofriendly natural antimicrobial agents that do not adversely affect the quality of the textile material 17 as substitute for synthetic toxic chemicals. The herbal antimicrobial finishes overcome the disadvantages of the chemical finishes because they are eco-friendly, non toxic and also non allergic 18,19 .…”