Sources and Characterization Approaches of Odour and Odour-Causing Bodily Compounds in Worn Clothing

Abstract

Clothing worn next to the skin is contaminated by both visible and invisible solid particles and fluid substances of either oily or aqueous nature generated through perspiration, skin shedding, and sebum secretion. Human sebum, a sebaceous secretion of the skin, is a major constituent of organic soils found in worn clothing. It consists of a unique mixture of lipids, including squalene, oleic, and linoleic acids, as well as triolein, which have been cited as the components that contribute most to garment soiling. These contaminants serve as a nourishing medium on which microorganisms thrive, leading to the development of malodour in clothing. Studies show that oily organic contaminations tend to remain in the clothing even after laundering. Although there are numerous industry-established standards to evaluate visible contamination, such as dust, dirt, and coloured stains, measuring the amount of odour-causing invisible contaminants has been difficult and subjective. This chapter provides a review of the detection and characterization techniques that have been proposed for odour-causing bodily compounds, with a focus on measuring the level of sweat and sebum soiling in textile fabrics.