Evaluation of the Acute Response Aerosols of Dust from Batch Kier Washed Cotton

Robert R. Jacobs, Brian Boehlecke, Henry Perkins Jr., and David T.W. Chun


 
ABSTRACT

Cottons of Grade 52, "low middling light spotted or better", washed on a continuous batt system at a minimum temperature of 60 C and a water to fiber ratio of 40:1 are exempt from most of the provisions of the cotton dust standard. Batch washed cottons remain subject to all provisions of the standard. Recent studies have demonstrated that physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of cotton washed on modern batch washing systems are similar to those of cottons washed on continuous batt or rayon systems. These studies suggest that batch-kier washing of cotton is as effective as washing cotton on approved systems. In order to evaluate the biological response to dust from cotton washed on a modern batch kier system a panel of healthy subjects (n=37) was exposed to aerosols of carded dust from rayon at 0.5 mg/m3, unwashed California and Texas cotton at 1 mg/m3, and washed Texas cotton at 0.5 and 1 mg/m3 in a model cardroom. Pre and post exposure spirometry was done on all subjects. There was no difference in the subjects response on any of the spirometric parameters measured for exposure to rayon, the unwashed California cotton, and the washed Texas cotton at either 0.5 or 1 mg/m3. Exposure to the unwashed Texas cotton caused an acute pulmonary response that was significantly different than any of the other exposures (p<0.001). These studies indicate that batchkier washing of cotton using modern procedures and equipment effectively removes the acute pulmonary toxicity demonstrable by spirometry at exposure levels of 1.0 and 0.5 mg/m3.



Reprinted from 1993 Proceedings Beltwide Cotton Conferences pp. 274 - 278
©National Cotton Council, Memphis TN

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Document last modified Sunday, Dec 6 1998