Evaluation of Antimicrobial-Treated Fabric Properties

New antimicrobial textile finishes with enhanced action against microbes are needed for improved protection in critical applications, including hospital infection control and biodefense. This study compares fabric treated with a novel quaternary ammonium compound-based antimicrobial treatment with untreated fabric, using a new method for determining the antimicrobial efficacy of fabrics and textiles. The effects of contact temperature, contact time, and bacterial load were demonstrated. The lowest concentrations of bacterial cells were killed very quickly. Increasing contact time resulted in inactivation of larger numbers of cells, as did elevating temperature from 24 °C to 37 °C. Important physical properties of the fabrics were retained. The simplicity, and good reproducibility, of the test procedure supports its use for the rapid screening and assessment of fabric specimens for antimicrobial activity.