A study on the development and the deodorizing capability of metal-phthalocyanine processed stump socks for amputees

The socks which were treated with Metal-Phthalocyanine, a derivative of an artificial enzyme, were developed by the author and called Kobe Stump Socks(KSS). KSS was made of a cotton cloth that had undergone an ammonium salt cationization process and also a Metal-Phthalocyanine process. The study from a bacteriological view and the moisture absorption effect of KSS revealed that the mechanism of the deodorizing ability was bared on the decomposition function of Metal-Phthalocyanine, while the antibacterial function came from the cationization and also that the high water absorption speed and capacity further enhanced these two functions. In this report, the author studied the deodorizing capability of KSS. To measure the adherence of an odor substance, ammonia, a testing device that measured this adherence was used. As a result, the adherence of ammonia to KSS was more than three times that of an unprocessed cloth. KSS had been used as stump socks on the stumps of amputees who were using prosthetic limbs, and a snuff test on the difference of the odor strength inside the socket was done. Of 33 subjects, 32 recognized a deodorizing effect. From these facts, KSS was proven to dry and deodorize the limb surface with the moisture absorption effect and deodorizing capabilities due to the Metal-Phthalocyanine process. These characteristics were never recognized in other stump socks. These date mentioned above suggested that KSS was the best material to deodorize prosthetic limb sockets.