Effects of Additives on Particle Size Distribution and Microbiology of Card Generated Cotton Dust

H.H. Perkins, Jr., R.E. Harrison, and M. Kinoshita


 
ABSTRACT

Endotoxin content of card generated cotton dust is sometimes influenced by factors that alter particle size distribution of the dust. For example, horizontal elutriation during pneumatic transport of the dust through a duct selectively removes larger particles and the resulting dust is most often lower in endotoxin content than the original dust. Addition of an oily additive to cotton prior to carding selectively suppresses release of smaller particles during carding and the resulting dust is often lower in endotoxin content than the dust from the corresponding cotton not containing the additive. Commercial cottons, harvested before and after significant weathering in the Mississippi Delta, were processed both with and without added dust control agents. Dust levels, particle size distributions, and dust bacteria and endotoxin contents were determined. The levels of bacteria and endotoxin in lint were not much different for the two cottons even though the grade of the weathered cotton was poorer than that of the unweathered cotton. The lint bacteria and endotoxin levels were not generally predictive of the levels in card generated dust. Several additives lowered dust levels significantly and selectively suppressed release of the smaller dust particles. However, even though the trends were to lower dust endotoxin contents in the presence of the additives, the reductions in levels were small. More work is required both to determine the properties of the effective additives that are most important in dust and endotoxin control and to determine the variations to be expected in cottons of diverse history.



Reprinted from Cotton Dust: Proceedings--11th Cotton Dust Research Conference 1987 pp. 99 - 101
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998