Sterilization efficiency of pathogen-contaminated cottons in a laundry machine

Area of Science:

• Microbiology
• Textile Science
• Public Health

Background:

• Pathogenic bacteria on textiles pose infection risks, especially to vulnerable populations.
• Bacterial desiccation tolerance in cotton impacts survival during laundry processes.
• Effective sterilization in washing and drying machines is essential for public health.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of various washing and drying conditions for bacterial sterilization in cotton.
• To determine the survival rates of pathogenic and non-pathogenic bacteria under different desiccation and temperature treatments.
• To provide data for establishing optimal sterilization standards for laundry appliances.

Main Methods:

• Assessing bacterial survival using scanning electron microscopy and direct agar contact assays.
• Testing sterilization effectiveness of low-temperature (<40°C) washing with and without activated oxygen bleach (AOB).
• Evaluating high-temperature (>60°C) washing and drying machine conditions (temperature, time) for bacterial eradication.

Main Results:

• Acinetobacter baumannii and Staphylococcus aureus showed high survival rates in desiccated cotton.
• Low-temperature washing with AOB eradicated all tested bacteria.
• High-temperature washing (>60°C) without AOB achieved 99.9% sterilization.
• Drying at 75°C for 3 hours resulted in >99.9% sterilization efficiency, outperforming 60°C for 4 hours.

Conclusions:

• Activated oxygen bleach is highly effective for low-temperature bacterial eradication in cotton.
• Optimal drying conditions (75°C for 3 hours) are necessary for efficient and comprehensive bacterial sterilization.
• The study provides practical data to inform standardized laundry sterilization protocols for cotton textiles.