CARBOXYMETHYLATED COTTON FABRIC FOR PESTICIDE-PROTECTIVE WORK CLOTHING

Cotton skirt weight print cloth is carboxymethylated using a pad-roll technology. Chemical accessibility is characterized by iodine sorption capacity and water retention; the values obtained for the modified co tton are significantly higher than those of the untreated and merceriz ed control samples. Layered clothing systems are made from combination s of treated and control fabrics, and pesticide penetration and retent ion are studied using radiolabeled methyl parathion. When the outer la yer of the clothing system is carboxymethylated, 30 to 45% more pestic ide is trapped by that layer than when the outer layer is the untreate d or the mercerized control fabric. Carboxymethylation reduces residua l pesticide on the cotton fabric after laundering to less than half th at observed for the control fabrics. Contamination of other clothes by redeposition during laundering is similar for the treated and untreat ed fabrics. The results of this study indicate that carboxymethylated fabrics may offer some protective advantages in reusable work clothing for pesticide handlers.