Evaluating peracetic acid bleaching of cotton as an environmentally safe alternative to hypochlorite bleaching

Peracetic acid is produced directly in the bleaching liquor from acetic anh ydride and hydrogen peroxide. The acid can be catalyzed to bleach knitted c otton fabric at temperatures as low as 30 degrees C in the presence of 2.2' bipyridine, sodium lauryl. sulfate, and sodium tetraborate. We evaluate th e effects of the concentrations of hydrogen peroxide and acetic anhydride a s well as treatment temperature, time, and pH on whiteness, bursting streng th, and water absorbency of the fabric. The results of our investigation sh ow that peracetic acid can be acceptable as a bleaching agent for the texti le industry as an alternative to hypochlorite bleaching.