The Effects of Micro-organisms in Simulated Soil Burial on Cellulosic and Proteinaceous Textiles and the Morphology of the Fibres

Abstract

ABSTRACT The aim of this research was to compare the performance of different cellulosic and proteinaceous textiles when exposed to the action of micro-organisms and to produce reference data for fibre identification of biodegraded textiles. Thus, the effects of micro-organisms grown in simulated soil burial on the textiles and their fibres were investigated. Cotton, linen, hemp, nettle, silk, and wool textiles were used for the experiments. Samples were buried in loam soil for 2, 4, 8, 16, and 32 weeks in a laboratory environment away from light. The cellulosic textiles were more readily attacked by microorganisms, followed by the wool, while the preservation of the silks was remarkable. The molecular composition and structure of the fibres, as well as the structure of the textiles themselves seem to be responsible for the different degrees of deterioration. The morphology of all fibres apart from silk was severely affected, in some cases to unrecognisable degrees. Notable degradation patterns developed like diagonal splits and grooves in cotton; longitudinal splits, erosion, and fibrillation in linen, hemp, and nettle; shedding of the scales and fibrillation in wool; and exposure of the inner fibrils in silk.