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Relationships between bacteria and endotoxin in cotton lint and in card generated dust.

Perkins-HH Jr.; Olenchock-SA; Millner-PD; Kinoshita-M

Cotton dust: proceedings of the Tenth Cotton Dust Research Conference, beltwide cotton research conferences, January 8-9, 1986, Las Vegas, Nevada. Jacobs RR, Wakelyn PJ, eds. Memphis TN: The National Cotton Council of America, 1986 Apr; :71-72

00174420

An investigation was made of levels of endotoxin and total and gram negative bacteria in cotton lint and in corresponding card generated airborne dust. Representative samples of Memphis Territory cottons were selected for study. Cotton was carded and the dust transported to a remote exposure facility where it was analyzed. Lint and dust were also analyzed in the card room. No definitive relationship between levels of viable bacteria and endotoxin on cotton lint and the levels in card generated dusts were observed. The authors suggest that the variations in relative distributions of the bacteria and endotoxins between lint and nonlint components of the cotton may be partly responsible for this poor relationship. Another contributing factor may be the size and distribution of the bacteria and endotoxin bearing particles. Particle size distributions of dusts differed widely in relation to treatment such as addition of a hydrocarbon/surfactant agent. Also, cottons of different qualities and histories showed different distributions. In the presence of thermophilic actinomycetes, the levels of viable gram negative bacteria in dusts were lowered. Each of these factors influenced the observed differences in endotoxin generation in the cottons studied. The authors suggest that the effects of various types of additives be studied to determine the extent of suppression of endotoxin in card generated dusts.

Cotton-dust; Dust-analysis; Microbiology; Industrial-processes; Dust-sampling; Endotoxins; Fibrous-dusts; Cotton-mill-workers; Cotton-industry; Airborne-fibers

19860401

Conference/Symposia Proceedings

Jacobs-RR; Wakelyn-PJ

1986

9780961340834

Cotton dust: proceedings of the Tenth Cotton Dust Research Conference, beltwide cotton research conferences, January 8-9, 1986, Las Vegas, Nevada

NV; TN