Antimicrobial Finishing of Cotton Fabric with Aloe Barbadensis

ANTIMICROBIAL FINISHING OF COTTON FABRIC

WITH ALOE BARBADENSIS

K.Senthil Kumar
Intertek India Pvt. Ltd, Bangalore, India
Email: senthilkumar163@gmail.com

ABSTRACT
Biotechnology is a frontier area in the field of science & technology having significant
commercial applications in healthcare, agriculture, Textile & service sectors. There is a good deal
of demand for the fabrics having functional/specialty finishes in general antimicrobial finishes in
particular to protect human being against microbes. The application of antimicrobial textile
finishes includes a wide range of textile products for medical, technical and apparel sectors.
Recent developments on Aloe Vera have opened up new avenues in this area of research.
In the present study, cotton fabric is treated with Aloe Vera extract at various concentrations. A
new approach to make textiles antimicrobial is incorporating the active principle of aloe gel
extract with fabric. Initially, plant extracts are screened by qualitative antimicrobial tests for the
presence of active principles. The extracts are applied on fabrics by simple exhaustion. The
finished fabric samples have been tested for activity as per the AATCC (Agar Diffusion) method.

INTRODUCTION
Aloe Barbadensis Miller (Aloe Vera) plant is found to be more useful to the humankind because
of the medicinal properties it possess. It is cultivated in the regions like India, South Africa,
America, Mexico and other parts of the world. The aloe plant being a cactus plant, is about 95 %
water, with an average pH of 4.5. The remaining solid material contains over 75 different
ingredients including vitamins, minerals, enzymes, sugars, anthraquinones or phenolic
compounds, lignin, saponins, sterols, amino acids and salicylic acid. The bitter yellow juice
derived from Aloe Vera leaves are used to make Aloe juice and it can also be used as laxative.
Aloe Vera plants are well known for their medicinal and healing properties from centuries. It is

extensively

used

for

wound

healings,

psoriasis,

Experimental

skin

injury

and

diabetes.

Plan

The experimental plan involves the

1. Extraction of Aloe Vera gel
2. Finishing of cotton fabric with Aloe gel
3. Anti microbial testing by using Agar plate method

1.1

EXTRACTION

PROCESS

Aloe Vera gel is extracted from the centre of the plants leaves, contains celluloid matter that
gives it a semisolid consistency and makes it unsuitable for consumption unless it is purified.
The process separates and removes aloine from the Aloe Vera gel. Aloine is a yellowish sap
found in the plants leaves and it is an irritant and laxative substance. Sulphates are also extracted
in the process because of the risk of allergic reactions to the substances. In the first instance each
leaf is cleaned with water to remove the adhering dust, microbes, and insects if any. Then it is
cleaned with water contains 5-10 ppm chlorine to assure that water is free from pathogen etc.
The
leaves
are
next
cut
transversally
at
the
bottom.

1.1.1 EXTRACTION BY HAND

First, cut Aloe Vera leaf from the plant.

Washing the Aloe Vera leaf to remove the dirt.

Massaging the solid gel to Change into liquid gel using our hands.

Extracting the Aloe gel-using spoon from inner parts of the leaf.

1.1.2 EXTRACTION BY MACHINE

First, cut Aloe Vera leaf from the plant.

Washing the Aloe Vera leaf to remove the dirt.

Feeding the Aloe leaf in between the rollers.

Tightened the handle to decrease the gap between rollers for maximum extraction.

Rotating the handle to pass the leaves between the pressing rollers, this extracts the gel.

The extracted gel will be collected on the pan and then the gel will drop into the container
through the out let.

2.1 MICROBIAL FINISHING OF COTTON FABRIC

WITH ALOE GEL
The Aloe Vera finishing on cotton fabric in three different concentrations such as the ratio (aloe
gel: water 60:40, 80:20 and 100%) are done in the first case 30 ml of aloe gel is used with 20 ml
of water. In the second case about 40 ml of aloe gel is mixed with 10 ml of water In the third
case about 50 ml of aloe gel is used in each case two samples are used and it is coated by using
padding mangle and it is finally dried.

3.1 DETERMINATION OF ANTI MICROBIAL ACTIVITY

BY USING AGAR PLATE METHOD
PROCEDURE
1. First wash 9 petri plates clearly and dry it.
2. Take 100ml of distilled water in a conical flask and add 3.8g of muller hinton agar and
about 1g of agar-agar.
3. And prepare cotton beads with the help of broom stick.
4. Closely tight the conical flask with the help of cotton plug.
5. With the help of the pressure cooker the petri plates, conical flask are sterilized to kill any
micro organisms present in it.
6. And keeping it for half an hour in the cooker it is placed under UV light.
7. The medium present in the conical flask is poured equally in the petri plates.
8. Out of 9 plates , 3 plates for 60:40 for treated fabric , 3 plates for 80:20 treated fabric and
3 plates for 100% treated fabric.
9. After the medium becomes solid the stephello caccus bacteria is applied on the surface of
the medium.
10. From the first, three plates for 60:40% (one plate with only gel, second for treated fabric
and gel , third is for treated fabric).
11. The second, three plates for 80:20% (one plate with only gel, second for treated fabric
and gel , third is for treated fabric).

12. The third, three plates for 100% (one plate with only gel, second for treated fabric and
gel, third is for treated fabric).
13. It is allowed for 24 hrs and the inhibition zone is measured.
1. INHIBITION ZONE FOR 60:40% TREATED FABRICS

60:40% TREATED FABRICS

2. INHIBITION ZONE FOR 80:20% TREATED FABRICS

80:20% TREATED FABRICS

3. INHIBITION ZONE FOR 100% TREATED FABRICS

100% TREATED FABRICS

4. ANTI MICROBIAL TEST- EXPERIMENTAL SET UP

Microbial test
ANTI MICROBIAL TEST
RESULTS
The Inhibition Zone Measured For 60:40% Treated Fabrics
Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Only Fabric

Fabric and gel

Only gel

Fabric =3.1
cm

Fabric=3.1 cm

Gel=1.2 cm

S. No

Gel=2.5 cm

The Inhibition Zone Measured For 80:20% Treated Fabrics

Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Only Fabric

Fabric and gel

Only gel

Fabric =4.4
cm

Fabric=4.5 cm

Gel=2.9 cm

S. No

Gel=1.3 cm

The Inhibition Zone Measured For 100% Treated Fabrics

Plate 1

Plate 2

Plate 3

Only Fabric

Fabric and gel

Only gel

Fabric =1.9
cm

Fabric=3.8 cm

Gel=1.9 cm

S. No

Gel=1.1 cm

CONCLUSION
From the above test results of Agar Diffusion Test for antimicrobial effectiveness against
standard test cultures viz., E-Coli (gram negative), the zone of bacterial inhibition is indicated by
a halo around the specimen. It is apparent that the activity of aloe gel treated samples is high
against E-coli. It is attributed that bacterial inhibition is due to the slow release of active
substances from the fabric surface. The anthraquinone present in the aloe absorb the fatty acids,
which make the fabric free from microbe profilation. Because Aloe Vera has six antiseptic agents
(Anthraquinone, sulphates, lupeol, salicylic acid, cinnamic acid, urea nitrogen and phenol) which
act as a team to provide antimicrobial activity thus eliminating many internal and external
infections. From our lab result aloe gel treated fabric has very high inhibition against E-coli
microorganism.

REFERENCES

1. Klaus Schatz, All Round Answer to Problem Microbes, International Dyer, June 2001,
p 17-19.
2. Davis RH, Leitner MG, Russo JM, Byrne ME. Wound healing. Oral and topical activity
of aloe vera. Journal of the American Podiatric Medical Association 79:559-562, 1989.
3. Byrnec, Textile Institutes Dyeing and finishing Group conference, Nottingham,
Nov.1995.
4. Odes H.S., Madar Z. A double-blind trial of a celandin, aloevera and psyllium laxative
preparation in adult patients with constipation. Digestion 49:65-71, 1991.

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