More and more scientific research includes the use of agents with a lower environmental impact, which is also one of the guidelines for a sustainable approach in the textile industry. These include cyclodextrins, which are able to incorporate non-polar compounds, including essential oils (EOs), into their lipophilic interior. Due to the increasing resistance of pathogenic bacteria to antimicrobial agents, recent research has focused on the antimicrobial activity of EOs. These are sensitive to environmental factors and are therefore microencapsulated or incorporated into cyclodextrins. In this master thesis, the antimicrobial activity of cotton fabric impregnated with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and then sprayed with Satureja montana EO was investigated. The change in the physical-mechanical properties of the cotton fabric after impregnation with β-CD was evaluated by measuring the mass per surface area, air permeability, tensile properties and bending length. The antimicrobial activity of the treated fabrics was tested against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria. Biodegradation of the samples was monitored after their burial in soil and evaluated visually and spectrophotometrically by measuring their whiteness and colour and by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The results showed an increase in mass per surface area and bending length of the β-CD-treated sample, while tensile properties and air permeability decreased. The presence of new β-CD- and EO-specific absorption bands was confirmed by FT-IR analysis. Unwashed samples impregnated with β-CD before and after spraying with EO showed excellent percentage of reduction of E. coli and S. aureus. After ten washes, finished samples showed a satisfactory reduction only for E. coli, and the best antimicrobial activity was shown by the sample finished with β-CD and 100 % EO. Biodegradation of finished samples was slower compared to the unfinished sample. The finished and washed samples were more susceptible to biodegradation compared to the unwashed finished samples.
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