Cotton Lint Samples Research Articles

AI-Assisted Cotton Grading: Active and Semi-Supervised Learning to Reduce the Image-Labelling Burden

The assessment of food and industrial crops during harvesting is important to determine the quality and downstream processing requirements, which in turn affect their market value. While machine learning models have been developed for this purpose, their deployment is hindered by the high cost of labelling the crop images to provide data for model training. This study examines the capabilities of semi-supervised and active learning to minimise effort when labelling cotton lint samples while maintaining high classification accuracy. Random forest classification models were developed using supervised learning, semi-supervised learning, and active learning to determine Egyptian cotton grade. Compared to supervised learning (80.20–82.66%) and semi-supervised learning (81.39–85.26%), active learning models were able to achieve higher accuracy (82.85–85.33%) with up to 46.4% reduction in the volume of labelled data required. The primary obstacle when using machine learning for Egyptian cotton grading is the time required for labelling cotton lint samples. However, by applying active learning, this study successfully decreased the time needed from 422.5 to 177.5 min. The findings of this study demonstrate that active learning is a promising approach for developing accurate and efficient machine learning models for grading food and industrial crops.

СВЧ карбонизация хлопкового волокна для получения углеродных материалов

This article presents the results of comparative studies of the structural and physico-chemical features of cotton lint samples carbonized by the microwave method and the standard (thermal) method. The dependences of the temperature change of the samples during the microwave carbonization process are obtained. The heterogeneity of the morphology of the fiber surface along the cross-section of the microwave carbonized sample was revealed. It is shown that the structure of the surface layers is characterized by two mechanisms of fiber destruction: numerous brittle transverse fractures and coloring of the fibers in places of swellings (a sharp increase in their diameter) and fluffing of the surface into convoluted fibrils with a transverse size of 50 – 300 nm due to the destruction of the outer layers of the secondary fiber wall. In the central region, the destruction of fibers occurs by the formation of longitudinal interfibrillary slits and the delamination of the secondary fiber wall, which leads to the formation of pores with dimensions of 50 – 200 nm. It is established that during the microwave carbonization process, the central part of the sample is almost completely freed from impurities that are deposited on the fibers of the surface layers. It is shown that the integral adsorption capacity of the microwave carbonized sample is higher than the adsorption capacity of the sample carbonized by the thermal method (126 mg/g and 47 mg/g, respectively). It was found that during microwave exposure more than 10 minutes, regions with an adsorption capacity of ~ 350 – 450 mg/g appear in the carbonized material, that is comparable to the capacity of samples activated by the standard method.

A Pulsed Thermographic Imaging System for Detection and Identification of Cotton Foreign Matter.

Detection of foreign matter in cleaned cotton is instrumental to accurately grading cotton quality, which in turn impacts the marketability of the cotton. Current grading systems return estimates of the amount of foreign matter present, but provide no information about the identity of the contaminants. This paper explores the use of pulsed thermographic analysis to detect and identify cotton foreign matter. The design and implementation of a pulsed thermographic analysis system is described. A sample set of 240 foreign matter and cotton lint samples were collected. Hand-crafted waveform features and frequency-domain features were extracted and analyzed for statistical significance. Classification was performed on these features using linear discriminant analysis and support vector machines. Using waveform features and support vector machine classifiers, detection of cotton foreign matter was performed with 99.17% accuracy. Using frequency-domain features and linear discriminant analysis, identification was performed with 90.00% accuracy. These results demonstrate that pulsed thermographic imaging analysis produces data which is of significant utility for the detection and identification of cotton foreign matter.

Precision of the upgraded CottonscanTM instrument for measuring the average fiber linear density (fineness) of cotton lint samples

Precision of the upgraded Cottonscan^TM instrument for measuring the average fiber linear density (fineness) of cotton lint samples

An upgraded CottonscanTM instrument for measuring the average fiber linear density (fineness) of cotton lint samples

We have previously described CottonscanTM and its performance in determining the average fiber linear density of cotton lint samples in detail. The previous work was focused on demonstrating that a reliable and sufficiently precise measurement was technically feasible. However, the measurement cycle time was 6 min. Thus the focus has now shifted to reducing the measurement cycle time in order to increase the sample throughput and demonstrate that the instrument is likely to be useful to the industry. Here we describe the engineering improvements made to bring the cycle time down to 1 min and provide results to show that the measurement is unaffected.

Performance of the CottonscanTM instrument for measuring the average fiber linear density (fineness) of cotton lint samples

This paper explores the CottonscanTM instrument, a new technology designed for routine measurement of the average linear density (fineness) of cotton fiber. An international inter-laboratory trial of the CottonscanTM system is presented. This expands the range of cottons and laboratories from previous studies. Cleaned well-blended cottons were utilized for this study in order to focus on the instrument performance and minimize sample variations between replicate measurements. Overall, for cottons finer than 200 mtex, the 95% confidence limit for a single measurement was estimated to be ±12 mtex, in good agreement with previous work. This confirms that the Cottonscan TM instrument is a useful technique for determining the average fiber linear density of cotton fiber.

An Instrument for Determining the Average Fiber Linear Density (Fineness) of Cotton Lint Samples

No satisfactory technology has emerged for routine rapid measurement of fiber linear density at commercial speed for the cotton industry. This paper introduces the CottonscanTM instrument, a new technology designed to undertake this task. An inter-laboratory trial of the Cottonscan TM system to ascertain the performance of the technology is described. Overall, the 95% confidence limit for a single measurement was estimated to be ±10.4 mtex. Further, spinning trial results have confirmed that unlike the Micronaire value, average fiber linear density obtained from the CottonscanTM correlate well with measured yarn properties. These data indicate that the CottonscanTM instrument can be usefully employed to determine average fiber linear density, an important fiber quality parameter which can be a useful additional tool for the spinner in predicting yarn properties.

The bacterial profile of cotton lint from worldwide origins, and links with occupational lung disease

Byssinosis, the cotton worker's lung disease persists today in many countries. Several agents have been investigated with respect to causality; among these are Gram-negative bacteria. These organisms are a source of lipopolysaccharide toxins, which are potentially hazardous to the respiratory tract. Despite byssinosis being most prevalent in countries where adequate preventive procedures are lacking, the majority of past studies have been conducted on cotton from the United States. The current investigation, involved the identification of Gram-negative bacteria from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions. The current investigation, involved the identification of Gram-negative bacteria from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions. Building a bacterial profile of cotton samples with worldwide origins will be useful in isolating sources of these organisms, assessing the risk posed to industry, workers and ultimately assisting the prevention of byssinosis and related conditions.

The Fungal Profile of Cotton Lint from Diverse Sources and Implications for Occupational Health

There is mounting evidence that inhalation of fungal spores and their fragments and toxins may cause respiratory illness, particularly in indoor environments and industrial settings. However, analysis of these organisms on cotton has not been carried out in detail and, hence, further examination may prove important in identifying sources of these organisms and assessing the risks posed to cotton workers. This study identified fungi from cotton lint samples originating in 12 world regions and revealed six different fungal genera, with the following rank order of sample isolation incidence: Aspergillus > Cladosporium > Fusarium > Rhizopus > Penicillium > Alternaria. Aspergillus was the most common genus and Aspergillus niger in particular was the pecies most frequently identified. Improved understanding of the variety of organisms that contaminate cotton may help to reduce prevalence of organic dust-related lung diseases.

Correlative Measurement of Four Biological Contaminants on Cotton Lint, and Their Implications for Occupational Health

Four biological contaminants of cotton fibers (gram-negative bacterial cells, endotoxin, fungal cells, and (1-3)-beta-D-glucan) were measured in 13 cotton lint samples from international origins, using traditional microbiological spread plating and adaptation of the Limulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) assay. Correlations were evaluated using Spearman's rank correlation analyses. Contamination levels ranged from 713 +/- 212 to 216,830 +/- 30,413 CFU/g gram-negative bacteria; 281 +/- 29 to 9,250 +/- 820 CFU/g fungal cells; 8.30 +/- 0.89 to 137.89 +/- 21.55 ng/g endotoxin; and 15.96 +/- 5.18 to 2,964.42 +/- 313.90 LAL-reactive units/g glucan. Positive correlations existed between all contaminants; however, they were significant only between fungal cells and glucan (p < 0.05) and between endotoxin and glucan (p < 0.01). The highly significant positive correlation between endotoxin and glucan has implications for the health risk posed by the cotton-production environment, as simultaneous inhalation of these agents may cause or exacerbate lung inflammation.

Biological contamination parameters of cotton lint as biomarkers for fibre quality; a preliminary study

It has been reported for several decades that microbes, which naturally contaminate cotton fibres during crop growth and subsequent storage can have an adverse effect on the structural quality of cotton lint. Although several studies have analysed the relationship between numbers of Gram-negative bacteria or bacterial endotoxin and particular physical properties, these studies have been limited to cotton from the United States, and the possible effects of fungal contamination have not been examined in detail. This study quantified the Gram-negative bacteria and fungal cells, as well as measuring concentrations of bacterial endotoxin and fungal glucan, on cotton lint samples from international sources. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients calculated between these results and quality data analysed by an automated testing instrument revealed several significant correlations. Findings included inverse correlations between the biological contamination parameters and fibre elongation, micronaire and reflectance. The possible causes and implications of these findings were also discussed.

COTTON LINT MOISTURE-SAMPLE STORAGE CONTAINER COMPARISON

“Quart-size” (0.95-L) metal cans with metal lids have been used for transportation and storage of cotton lint samples intended for moisture content analysis by the oven method for many years. In some cases, particularly when the samples are collected at a distance from the analysis lab, the transportation of the empty cans can be inconvenient. This study examined the use of zipper-closed plastic bags, which are widely available, for sample transportation and storage. Cotton lint samples were pretreated with higher and lower humidity, placed in containers, and stored in an environment maintained at a constant relative humidity and temperature. The samples and containers were weighed periodically. After a period of between 2 to 3 weeks the cotton was tested for moisture content by the oven method. This moisture content was used with the weight data to calculate the moisture content over the storage period. Statistical analysis was used to estimate the moisture content/time slope based on the different containers. The metal cans proved to be the best of the containers tested. Double bagging using freezer bags was the best of the plastic bag containers. Therefore, metal cans should be used when available; however, if the samples are promptly shipped and analyzed then the double-bagged freezer bags can be used.

Simple and rapid method for evaluating stickiness of cotton using thermogravimetric analysis

Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) with nitrogen and oxygen as carrier gas is used for the analysis of cotton lint samples for evaluating their stickiness. The advantage of the low melting point of trehalulose, a commonly found sugar, in the presence of oxygen as carrier gas is used for the evaluation. The oxidation of sugar present in the cotton lint results in increased weight around the melting point, which is proportional to the sugar content. The decomposition of the sugar further results in weight loss. This method is compared with the sticky cotton thermodetector and viscosity method for the estimation of sugar content. Good agreement between the methods suggests the usefulness and simplicity of TGA for estimation of stickiness in cotton.

RESISTIVITY OF COTTON LINT FOR MOISTURE SENSING

The international cotton industry needs an inexpensive yet accurate method to determine the moisture contentof cotton. Basic studies were conducted to ascertain the applicability of electrical resistance to measuring moisturecontent. The resistance of cotton lint samples of varying moisture content, which were loaded into a series of acrylicholders with aluminum ends and compressed to 0.3 g/cm3, was measured. The holders varied in sample thickness from1 to 4 cm and in sample cross-sectional area from 1 to 40 cm2. The resistance was found to vary with sample thickness asexpected, but the resistivity did not vary with sample cross-sectional area in the expected way. Relationships relatingsample moisture content to sample resistance and sample geometry were examined. Models were found which fit the datawell; the residuals varied inversely with sample moisture content and sample circumference.

3-Hydroxymyristic acid as a measure of endotoxin in cotton lint and dust.

A series of samples consisting of purified cellulose, purified cellulose spiked with endotoxin, and cotton lint and dust samples from the Human Panel Acute Exposure Studies at Clemson, South Carolina, were extracted with pyrogen-free water and with phenol-water. Phenacyl esters of the dried, hydrolyzed extract were prepared and chromatographed on a high performance liquid chromatograph. A peak assigned to the phenacyl ester of 3-hydroxymyristic acid appears in the chromatograms of extracts of celluloses that have been spiked with endotoxins and not in those of unspiked celluloses. This peak also appears in the extracts of cotton lint from samples that cause the greatest decrement in lung function in the Clemson human exposure studies. The area of this peak increases with increasing amounts of endotoxin and may serve as a measure of endotoxin concentration in cotton lint and dust, at least when fairly high levels of endotoxin (0.50 micrograms or greater) are present. The effect of extraction method on the determined amount of endotoxin is discussed.

Chemical Analyses of Washed, Bleached, and Scoured and Bleached Cotton Fiber

The chemical compositions of four cottons from a 1982 washed cotton study (MQ- 111) conducted by the Industry/Government/Union Task Force for Byssinosis Pre vention were established by proximate and elemental analyses. The four cotton samples were an unwashed control grown in Mississippi and the corresponding washed, bleached, and scoured/bleached processed cottons. The proximate analyses consisted of serial solvent extractions that furnished data on moisture, water extractables, ethanol extractables, ethanolamine extractables, cellulose, and insoluble residue. Ash produc tion was also measured for the four cotton lint samples. Elemental analyses were performed by x-ray fluorescence for potassium, calcium, magnesium, silicon, phos phorus, and sulfur, and by Kjeldahl analysis for nitrogen. The analyses demonstrate that the water wash and the scouring procedure are responsible for substantially in creasing the purity of the cotton fiber. The level of water extractables was reduced by the water washing process, while the level of ethanolamine extractables was reduced by the scouring process. The washed cotton sample contained much smaller amounts of potassium and magnesium compounds than the unwashed control. Ash was reduced to approximately the same level by each of the washing processes. The nitrogen and calcium contents dropped steadily with increasing severity of processing conditions. The changes in chemical composition of cotton lint on pro cessing are related to the layered structured of the cotton fiber. The Cotton Quality Research Station, USDA, and the Division of Respiratory Disease Studies, NIOSH, have determined the effects that dusts from these cottons have on pulmonary function in a group of human volunteers through measurements of the change in forced ex piratory volume in one second (FEV1) on exposure to dust generated by carding the cotton samples. All three processed cottons were considerably less active than the unwashed control. Many of the chemical composition parameters showed a marked decrease with water washing alone.

Measurement of Cotton Dust in Lint Fibers

ABSTRACT Aprocedure has been developed for determining the mass concentration-particle size distribution (MCPSD) of dust present in lint fiber. Combining a known mass of lint and its mass concentration of dust with the associated particle size distribution as determined by the Coulter Counter* Model TAII yielded a relative measure of the mass of dust per mass of lint fiber. The procedure proved to be repeatable and was used to analyze cotton lint samples in order to (a) differentiate between unknown cotton samples based on their dust content/particle size distribution, and (b) observe the effect of multiple Hnt cleanings on the dust content within various samples...

Cotton Moisture Measurements—Effects of Laboratory Procedures

ABSTRACT COTTON lint samples were dried in commercially available moisture testing ovens using a thermostat set-point of 105C. The moisture content determinations were satisfactory even though the temperatures at dif-ferent locations within the oven varied from 83 to 126C. A drying period of 1 h for lint'was found to be adequate in forced-air ovens and in ovens relying on natural con-vection air circulation. Drying cottonseeds for 3 h at 130C caused erroneous results because of scorching. Reliable cottonseed moisture data were obtained by dry-ing the seed for 12 to 16 h at 105C.