ANTIMICROBIAL TEXTILE PRODUCTS AND METHOD OF OBTAINING

THEREOF Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of obtaining antifungal, anticandidal and antibacterial textile products. Background of the Invention

Pathogenic, opportunistic or beneficial microorganisms proliferate by using the inorganic and organic nutrients on the surfaces and the moisture, and form colonies at the region where they are located. Surface contamination and pathogens remaining on the surface for a long period of time increase the risk of environmental and hospital- acquired infection risk. It has been stated in the literature that decreasing environmental pathogenic load is an important step in hospital-acquired disease reduction (Wenzel and Edmond, 2003). A great majority of the pathogens live on surfaces for a long period of time and cause serious diseases to become widespread upon spreading via contact and inhalation. It was shown that vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus species, which is one of the most important one of these pathogens, was isolated from the door knobs, bed sheets, bed rails, tables, walls, floors and other surfaces in hospitals (Yamaguchie et al., 1994). Since surfaces in hospitals are suitable for microbial growth, few hours after admission to the hospital, the microorganisms on the surfaces start to grow and proliferate on the skin, respiratory tract, urinary and genital systems of the patient (Nguyen, 2006). For these reasons, making all the surfaces in intensive care units, wherein particularly patients with suppressed or weak immune system are treated, emergency response centers and other health care units, nurseries, kindergartens, public transportation and other public areas antimicrobial has become an important area, which is under great interests among the scientists.

The primary surfaces desired to be made antimicrobial are the textile products which are continuously and directly in contact with human skin. Since textile products are rich in nutrients and many textile products can retain the moisture in the air, they provide a highly convenient conditions for microorganisms. In environments such as hospitals, where sterilization is extremely important, contamination risk is tired to be reduced by washing the textile products frequently or disposable products are destroyed after use. Since the textile products used in health care units may accommodate many pathogens thereon, in addition to unstaining these products, the microbial load thereon should also be removed (Fijan et al. 2005). Although there are no scientific studies proving the direct relationship between the microbial loads on textiles and infectious diseases, it was stated that some microbial species can survive on textiles even after washing (Larson, 1999). Furthermore, disposable products, even though they are packaged under sterile conditions, provide a suitable environment for microorganism colonization as soon as they are taken out of their packages. Since washing and use of disposable products cannot reduce microbial load in such places, antimicrobial textile products are needed which will decrease infection risk and cross contamination and will not allow any microbial load thereon.

Some products such as nonwovens which constitute a large part of the textile products are naturally hydrophobic. However in various products developed by using these fabrics, particularly in hygienic products (such as hygienic pads and diapers), water absorption property is required. Thus, this type of products, at least certain parts thereof, should be made hydrophilic. In addition, hydrophilic textile products are required also during the coating process performed by water soluble dyes. Thus, prior to the application that will be performed with water soluble dyes, a hydrophobic textile product should be made hydrophilic. Apart from these, in order to develop antimicrobial textile products, the surface should be made hydrophilic and the active substance should be allowed to be coded into the textile.

United States patent document no. US2013152277 discloses a garment which is an antimicrobial textile product.

International patent document no. WO2013072883 discloses an antifungal, anticandidal and antibacterial textile product. Summary of the Invention

An objective of the present invention is to obtain disposable and reusable antimicrobial textile products. Another objective of the present invention is to obtain antimicrobial textile products which enable to reduce the infectious diseases that are transmitted or spread by textile products.

A further objective of the present invention is to obtain antimicrobial textile products which reduce extra cost and energy spent for ensuring hygiene.

Another objective of the present invention is to obtain a solution which enables to transform hydrophobic textile products into hydrophilic textile products. Detailed Description of the Invention

The steps of the method performed for obtaining the antimicrobial textile products of the present invention are as follows: Experimental studies

The study conducted comprises the steps of

- dissolving triclosan in glucopon and obtaining a homogenous mixture, - adding chlorhexidine solution to the obtained solution,

- adding disodium octaborate pentahydrate solution to the triclosan + chlorhexidine solution, and upon achieving a homogenous mixture, obtaining antimicrobial impregnation solution,

- loading the impregnation solution on the textile products thereby making the products antimicrobial,

- passing the textile product though the rollers thereby recovering the excess solution,

- drying the textile products, which are loaded with impregnation solution, by passing them through the ovens,

- after drying, obtaining the final antimicrobial textile product.

When realizing the invention, powder triclosan was dissolved in 10% glucopan by gentle mixing at a concentration of 0.001-0.1% at 45°C and a homogenous mixture was obtained. 20% chlorhexidine solution was added to the prepared solution at a concentration of 0.05-3%. Finally, homogenous impregnation solution was obtained by mixing high purity and mineralized disodium octaborate pentahydrate solution into the prepared solution at a concentration of 0.001-0.1%.

The final mixture that was obtained was loaded on the textile products by the help of an industrial device thereby making them antimicrobial. After the textile products were passed through the impregnation solution in the impregnating tank, they were passed through the industrial rollers thereby recovering the excess solution. The textile products, which were loaded with the impregnation solution, were dried by being passed through the oven at 60°C temperature at a speed of 12 meters/minute. Antimicrobial properties of the obtained textile products against bacteria, yeasts and fungi were evaluated by using standard disc diffusion method.

Characterization studies Disc Diffusion Method

Antimicrobial properties of the textile products loaded with impregnation solution were examined by using standard NCCLS disc diffusion method (Lalitha, 2005). Briefly, the ΙΟΟμΙ solution including 10 ⁸ cfu/ml bacteria, 10 ⁶ cfu/ml yeast and 10 ⁴ spor/ml fungus was prepared with new cultures and inoculated with spreading method on Trypticase soy agar (TSA), Sabouraud Dextrose Agar (SDA) and Potato Dextrose Agar (PDA), respectively. The sections of approximately lxl cm, which were cut out from the textile products loaded with the impregnation solution comprising the stated concentrations of triclosan, chlorhexidin and disodium octaborate pentahydrate, were placed on inoculated petri dishes. Empty textile products which were not loaded with impregnation solution were used as negative control. As positive control, Ofloxacin (5 μg/disc) was used for bacteria and Nystatin (100 u/disc) was used for yeasts and fungi. The petri dishes, which were inoculated and on which textile products were placed, were kept at 36±1 °C for bacteria for 24 hours and 48 hours for yeasts and at 25±1 °C for fungi for 72 hours. Antimicrobial activity against microorganisms tested in standard disc diffusion method was assessed by measuring the inhibition zone. All tests were repeated at least twice. Antimicrobial activity results of the tested textile products are summarized in Table 1.

Experiment Results

Antimicrobial test results While inhibition zones against the tested microorganisms were observed around the sections, which were cut out from the textile products loaded with the impregnation solution comprising triclosan, chlorhexidin and disodium octaborate pentahydrate prepared by the method applied for obtaining the inventive antimicrobial textile product; inhibition zones were not detected around the sections of the textile product in control group (Table 1). Antibacterial, anticandidal and antifungal properties were rendered to the textile products by using an impregnation solution prepared with optimized concentrations of active molecules.

Table 1. In vitro antimicrobial test results against the selected bacteria, fungi and yeast isolates/strains of textile products loaded with antimicrobial impregnation solution.

5 Application of the Invention

The product of the invention is effective on Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, MRS A, and Staphylococcus aureus bacteria; yeast, Candida spp. ; and fungal species, Aspergillus spp. and Penicillium spp.

In the hydrophobic non-woven samples on which the invention is applied, the solution of glucopon + triclosan + chlorhexidin + disodium octaborate pentahydrate + distilled water ((dH ₂ 0) enables the antimicrobial mixture to be coded into the textile products by allowing the hydrophobic surface to be transformed to a hydrophilic surface.

These textile products can be used in;

- particularly medical sector for dialysis filters, band-aids, surgical gowns, masks, caps, surgical threads and drapes,

in garment sector; parts of the cloths such as stiffening cloth and interlining in work uniforms requiring hygiene,

- underwear and summer cloths such as shorts, bikinis and bathing suits which are very much exposed to moisture and provide a suitable setting for reproduction of bacteria,

- baby clothing requiring hygiene,

- home and workplace textile; carpets, curtains, furnishings, table cloths, bedspreads,

- head rest covers and other textile products that require hygiene in public transportation vehicles,

- all textile products that may be used for packaging, storing and transporting foodstuff,

facade linings and insulations in construction sector; in areas where microorganisms can be prevented from proliferating and causing rotting.