Progress 02/16/16 to 05/31/18
Outputs
Target Audience:Carpet and fabric producers as well as textile testing lboratories Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?During the fall semester of 2017 one graduate student was tranined on the use of the analytical procedures used in this project. She had the opportunity to present a poster at The Fiber Society, November 8, 2017. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?One major paper is already in press in the Textile Research Journal.Four more papers are in preparation. A paper and poster were presented at The Fiber Society, an international textile association, November 8, 2017. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?
Nothing Reported
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The initial stages of this research project involved the development of a robotic transfer replicator (RTR) which would mimic the transfer of materials from fabric surfaces to human fingers (skin). The various machine parameters, such as pressure, time of transfer, pattern of transfer, were investigated to determine their effects of the percent transfer of particulates. A series of particulates was identified: Bovine Serum Albumin, as a representative protein; paint dust, to which a fluorescent tracer was added; dust mites; ragweed pollen; and pesticide. Once a set of parameters was established, the percent transfers of these particulates were compared with the values obtained using human subjects. Once an agreement between the human and machine transfers was established, the variables of the donor surface fiber composition and construction, the particulate dosage, size, and composition were tested. The donor surfaces were various commercial carpets. The results of these measurements have been summarized in Yu, et al., Textile Research Journal (in press). To address the concern of possible differences between commercial and residential carpets, the percent transfer of paint dust was determined for several different carpets. As seen in the following table, there was no significant difference observed between commercial and residential carpets. Surface percent transfer (mean ± st. dev.) E. coli A. niger Paint dust shag carpet 3.0 ± 1.6 3.7 ± 1.5 0.42 ± 0.18 multilevel carpet 4.2 ± 0.8 3.7 ± 1.4 0.08 ± 0.02 level loop carpet 5.9 ± 2.6 2.9 ± 2.7 1.34 ± 1.9 cut loop carpet 4.5 ± 3.2 4.1 ± 2.4 0.40 ± 0.62 cut loop carpet* 0.6 ± 0.3 n. d. 0.4 ± 0.1 level loop carpet* 2.4 ± 1.7 n. d. 0.2 ± 0.1 100% linen 11.5 ± 3.6 6.0 ± 3.6 1.8 ± 0.7 cotton twill 10.8 ± 4.2 14.0 ± 6.2 5.2 ± 0.3 53% rayon, 33% polyester, 14% cotton "Sofie brocade" 8.9 ± 3.8 13.9 ± 4.3 1.8 ± 0.3 100% polyester upholstery velvet 8.0 ± 1.5 10.2 ± 3.5 8.9 ± 3.8 100% wool "Crivo" 1.5 ± 1.6 0.5 ± 0.1 *Residential carpets The next stage of the project was to use microorganisms as the material to be transferred. E. coli was chosen as a representative bacterium, and Aspergillus niger was chosen as a representative fungus. These organisms were applied to the surfaces of the same carpet surfaces. Based on the data in the table above, there was no difference in the percent transfer values for the same microorganism and the different carpets and for the different microorganisms and the same carpets. The only exception to the similarity in values is that for E. coli from residential cut loop carpet. The average percent transfer value was approximately 4%. In contrast, the percent transfer of paint dust was more variable and was approximately 0.4, which is only 10% of the microbial transfer value. To mimic upholstery transfer, the last four upholstery fabrics were sewn into miniature pillows, with a small amount of stuffing. These "pillows" were used as the donor surfaces for the microbial and paint dust transfers. With the exception of the wool fabric, the transfer values for both microorganisms were the same within experimental error, but approximately twice that for the carpet transfer measurements. As with the carpets, the transfer of paint dust was less than that for the microbes but not as dramatically less. The overall conclusions of this project are as follows: It is possible to build a machine which can replicate the transfer process of materials from fabric surfaces to human fingers. This transfer process reaches equilibrium within five seconds, in violation of the "5 second" rule. The percent transfer is dependent upon the applied pressure and highly dependent upon the nature of the particulates. It is not dependent upon the nature of the microorganisms. It is more difficult to remove materials from carpets than from upholstery fabrics. That is, carpets provide a better sink for trapping materials.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Awaiting Publication
Year Published:
2018
Citation:
Evaluation of a robotic transfer replicator: machine parameters that affect measurements of transfer of particulates from carpet surfaces to human skin versus human skin-like surfaces, In Press, 2018.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Transfer of particulates and microorganisms from carpet and other fabric surfaces to human fingers and human skin-like surfaces, The Fiber Society, Athens, Georgia, November 6, 2017.
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Progress 10/01/16 to 09/30/17
Outputs
Target Audience:Other research groups who are investigating the transfer process and fabric manufacturers who would use the information in their fabric design and composition. Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Paper published in Textile Research Journal Oral presentation at the Fiber Society International meeeting What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To extend the measurements using upholstery fabrics as donor surfaces to the transfer of A. niger to compare with the data using E. coli. That would conclude the experiments with upholstery fabrics. The next fabric to test would be drapery fabrics. Both particulate and microbial transfer will be measured. Currently, only commercial carpets have been used. The next step will be to compare the transfer from residential carpets.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
The measurements of the percent transfer of the particulate Bovine Serum Albumin [BSA] from six different carpet constructions were made using the Robotic Transfer Replicator. The carpet samples contained the same fibers but had different construction. The mean and standard deviation values are listed below ranked by the percent transfer: The values of the tuft height in mm is also listed: Carpet B [unlevel loop] (0.81 ± 0.18)% 4.4 mm Carpet E [level loop] (1.08 ± 0.22)% 5.1 mm Carpet A [cut loop] (1.30 ± 0.13)% 5.0 mm Carpet G [cut loop] (1.83 ± 0.31)% 5.5 mm Carpet D [unlevel loop] (2.39 ± 0.46)% 4.8 mm Carpet C [cut loop] (3.04 ± 1.23)% 5.7 mm The percent transfer is not correlated with the donor surfaces, i.e. type of loop structure. With the exception of carpet D, which is a shag carpet, there is a small correlation between the tuft height and the percent transfer. When transfer measurements were made with A. niger and E. coli as transferred materials and the some of the same carpets as the donor surface, the following percent transfer and standard deviations were obtained: The first percent transfer listed for each carpet is for A. niger, and the second set of values are for E. coli. Carpet C [cut loop] (3.7 ± 1.5)% (3.0 ± 1.6)% Carpet D [unlevel loop] (3.7 ± 1.4)% (4.2 ± 0.8)% Carpet F [level loop] (3.5 ± 3.3)% (6.1 ± 3.8)% Carpet G [cut loop] (3.7 ± 2.2)% (4.5 ± 3.2)% The data show no difference in the type of carpet for the percent transfer and in the type of microorganisms transferred. It is noted that the relative error is twice that for the microbial measurements as compared with the BSA measurements. This illustrates the inherent variability with microbial measurements. These transfer measurements were extended to using upholstery fabrics as the donor surfaces and E. coli as the transfer microorganism. Five different types of fabrics were chosen with different construction and different fiber material. To facilitate the transfer measurements, "pillows", consisting of a circle of the fabric, a circle of cotton batting, and a circle of aluminum foil, were constructed and sewn together to form the donor surface. The values of the mean and standard deviation for the transfer are listed below: "Flannel" (7.6 ± 7.2)% "Brocade" (7.8 ± 4.6)% "Velvet" (7.9 ± 1.6)% "Twill" (15 ± 13)% "Linen" (17 ± 13)% Even though there is an approximate doubling of the mean value of the percent transfer, these values are within experimental error of each other. So, as with carpets as the donor surface, the percent transfer is independent of the donor surface.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Yu, Hong, Brewer, Mary Sue, Leonas, Karen K., Knopp, James A. and Annis, Patricia A."Evaluation of a robotic transfer replicator: machine parameters of transfer of particulates from carpet surfaces to human skin versus human skin-like surfaces", Textile Research Journal, Vol. 60, No. 9, pp. 541-548, 2017.
- Type:
Conference Papers and Presentations
Status:
Published
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
Yu, Hong, Knopp, James A., Leonas, Karen K., Brewer, Mary Sue, Annis, Patricia A., "Transfer of Particulates and Microorganisms from Carpet and Other Fabric Surfaces to Human Fingers and Human Skin-like Surfaces", The Fiber Society, Athens, GA, November 8, 2017.
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Progress 02/16/16 to 09/30/16
Outputs
Target Audience:
Nothing Reported
Changes/Problems:
Nothing Reported
What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?
Nothing Reported
How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?
Nothing Reported
What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?To continue the measurement of transfer from upholstery fabrics, two additional fabrics will be selected, specifically, a sample of linen fabric and a sample of velvet fabric. The measurements of E. coli transfer from these two fabrics will be determined, using the pillow method described above. Upon successful completion of these experiments, the transfer of A. niger from all five fabrics, including the three which were used with the E. coli transfer experiments, will be determined. This would conclude all of the measurements of microbial transfer from upholstery fabrics.
Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals?
Three different upholstery fabrics were chosen for measurements of transfer of E. coli from these fabrics to a human skin-like receptor material. In preparation of transfer, circles were cut from the fabrics, and these circles were placed above a similar sized cotton batting, which was place above an aluminum foil circle. The three layers were sewn together in a pie-shaped pattern to form 8 wedge sectors, which will be referred to as a "pillow". The pillow was autoclaved and placed into the Robotic Transfer Replicator. A solution of E. coli was placed on the surface of the pillow as a series of equally spaced 50 µL dots. The transfer was initiated by rubbing the receptor material over the pillow in a defined pattern, which covered the entire surface of the pillow. After a defined number of patterns, the receptor material was removed and extracted with PBS solution. This constituted one rub cycle. This was repeated four more times. At the end of the fifth transfer cycle, one of the wedges was cut out of the pillow and extracted with PBS solution. The percent transfer was calculated as the ratio of cfu's extracted from the receptor material to the cfu's extracted from the control wedges. These transfer values are shown in the following table as percentages. Name fiber Rub cycle number [mean and standard deviation of percent transfer] #1 #2 #3 #4 #5 "Crivo" 100% wool 0.47 ± 0.15 0.55 ± 0.14 0.87 ± 0.56 0.83 ± 0.24 1.18 ± 0.63 Twill 100% cotton 10.8 ± 4.2 7.3 ± 1.9 7.5 ± 1.2 7.3 ± 1.7 7.6 ± 2.2 "Sofie" 53% rayon 33% poly ester 14% cotton 7.8 ± 4.6 6.1 ± 1.8 4.9 ± 1.7 3.6 ± 1.2 4.1 ± 2.6 The ratio of standard deviation values to the corresponding mean values ranged from 25% to approximately 60% with no obvious trends with either rub cycle number or fabric type. This relative error is greater than that observed with particulate transfer from carpet surfaces and likely reflects the higher variability of measurements of microorganisms. It is noted that the Crivo fabric demonstrates an increase in percent transfer with rub cycle number. This anomaly is in contrast with the measurements of transfer from the two other upholstery fabrics as well as transfer of particulates and microorganisms from carpet surfaces. It was also noted that ≥ 90% of the applied E. coli is never extracted from the fabric surfaces. Therefore, of the total amount of E.coli applied ≥ 1% transferred from the fabric surface by these measurements.
Publications
- Type:
Journal Articles
Status:
Under Review
Year Published:
2017
Citation:
H. Yu, M-S Brewer, K. Leonas, J. Knopp, and P. Annis "Transfer of particulates from carpet surfaces to human skin and human skin-like surfaces", Textile Research Journal (in review)
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