Antimicrobial Activity of Spunlace Nonwovens 100% Bleached Cotton Fabric, Against Selected Pathogenic Microorganisms
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32350/sir.101.04Keywords:
anti-microbial, non-woven fabrics, Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureusAbstract
The development of antibacterial textiles has attracted an increasing attention due to growing demands for hygienic and protective materials in medical and cosmetic applications. Nonwoven fabrics are widely used in hygiene and medical applications where antibacterial performance is critical for controlling microbial contamination. Unlike previous studies that investigated mechanically antimicrobial coating and chemically treating the fabrics for disinfection, this study evaluated the intrinsic antimicrobial property against some specific pathogenic microbes in industrially produced bleached nonwoven fabrics. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antimicrobial activity of the nonwoven fabrics using standard antimicrobial testing method against selected bacterial and fungal strains. In this study, 100% bleached cotton Spunlace nonwovens fabric was produced by continuous carding and hydroentanglement without binders. For this purpose, purified processed water and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) (1–3 %) were used solely as a hygiene aid, with Benzalkonium Chloride (BKC, 0.3 %) as a positive antimicrobial control. The resulting uniform, defect-free fabrics provided a controlled platform for systematic evaluation of inherent and comparative antibacterial performance. American Type Culture Collection (ATCC) test pathogens, Staphylococcus aureus (ATCC 25923), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (ATCC 27853), Salmonella typhimurium (ATCC 14028), and Aspergillus niger (ATCC 16404) were subjected to the antimicrobial properties of the developed fabrics. Sample B treated with 3% H2O2 inhibited the visible growth of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. While, BKC was very active forming 18.8mm zone of inhibition against Salmonella typhimurium and 30.05mm against Staphylococcus aureus. The antimicrobial activity observed suggested that the nonwoven fabrics may have potential applications in healthcare and hygiene. The results underscored the antimicrobial retaining and disseminating properties of the fabrics. Furthermore, the results highlighted the possible use of BKC for the development of fabrics having potential applicability in healthcare.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Syed Ahmad, Shahid Nawaz, Muhammad Nadeem Raza
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