Enterobacter agglomerans is commonly found on raw cotton and in cotton dust. Endotoxins from Enterobacter agglomerans and other gram negative bacteria in cotton dust are believed to cause pulmonary dysfunctions in some textile mill workers. According to animal model studies, cotton dust can be detoxified by treatment with alcoholic sodium hydroxide (500mL 95% ethanol, 1.0g sodium hydroxide, and 10g cotton dust) but not alcoholic hydrochloric acid (500mL 95% ethanol, 2.7g conc. hydrochloric acid, and 10g cotton dust). In this study, samples of a crude preparation of Enterobacter agglomerans (50% whole:50% sonically disrupted cells) were treated with alcoholic sodium hydroxide, alcoholic hydrochloric acid, and 95% ethanol for one hour at 65 C. The effects of these treatments on endotoxin levels (as measured by the Limulus amebocyte lysate assay) and chemical constituents of soluble bacterial residues will be discussed.