Innovative Antibacterial Cotton to Prevent Spread of Disease

By Jim.Robinson|July 17, 2013

A new study has established the feasibility of giving cotton an antibacterial, odor-resistant coating with a multi-purpose vanilla scent. The authors say the innovation has medical applications in that it could be used to halt the spread of hospital infections via bed linens. The study was published in the American Chemical Society’s journal of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research.

According to the article, microcapsules were fabricated onto 100% cotton materials by a coating technique. The resistance of the coating to several washing cycles was studied, and the durability of the aromatic finishing was determined. According to the study, the capsules were stable in the range between 20 and 100 °C, and they inhibited the growth of the bacteria at 37 °C for at least one week.

Richard Garcia-Valls, one of the authors of the study, says that vanillin, the main ingredient in the vanilla extract, does more than confer a pleasing aroma. Vanillin fights microbes, including the Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) bacteria responsible for many hospital-acquired infections. Garcia-Valls’ team decided to use microencapsulation to combine the fresh scent and antibacterial effects of vanillin in fabrics.

“This work sets the basis for further development of fabrics with antimicrobial activity and a pleasant aromatic finish,” the scientists state.