Composition of Weave-Room Dust

Abstract

Total-dust samples were collected at four weave-room sites and one card room site in each of twelve southeastern U.S. cotton mills. The cotton content of the fabrics being produced ranged from 35% to 100%. Sizings were starch, polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethylcellulose (CMC), and mixtures of starch PVA, starch CMC, and PVA CMC. A serial solvent extraction-gravimetric technique was developed for proximate analysis of samples. Sizing was extracted with boiling water. Iodometric methods were used to determine the extracted starch and PVA, and CMC was determined by titration of the free acid with NaOH. Weaving dust averaged 20-50% sizing, 10-30% cellulose, 0.4% synthetic fiber, and 1-4% protein. Higher total dust levels were'associated with starch sizing, increased loom speeds, and higher yarn counts. Fine dust levels increased with loom speed percentage of cotton in the product, and the use of starch as sizing. The major differences between carding and weaving dusts were the presence of sizing and the much higher average water solubility of weaving dust, 47% vs. 10%. The carding dust also contained small amounts of starch (1-2%) and protein (9-16%), plus traces of polyester in dust from card rooms in which synthetic was carded or blended simultaneously.