Antimicrobial Textile Treatment and Problems of Testing Methods

Abstract

Various antimicrobial treatments and mechanisms of their effectivness with regard to their wash fastness are described. The comparison of the legislative regulations between the USA and the European Union in the field of antimicrobial protection is given. Textile technologists do not need to know the complicated mechanisms of microorganism effects to the full extent, but in selecting chemicals and for production controls general insights into these problems can be of great importance. Testing methods of antibacterial and antifungal efficiency of textile fibers and materials, with special emphasis of their advantages and disadvantages are shown. To control the efficiency of the treated product, strict conditions of the microbiological laboratory and qualified staff are necessary.