Single Step Mercerization and Formaldehyde-Free Polyfunctional Finishing on Cotton Fabrics

Mercerization, the treatment of cotton with concentrated sodium hydroxide under tension, is performed to enhance absorption, luster, strength and dimensional stability. After mercerization, the unreacted sodium hydroxide is neutralized with acids. Neutralization with polycarboxylic acids (PCAs) is likely not only to crosslink the cellulose molecules, but to also enhance other functional attributes like crease recovery behavior, flame retardancy, and soil release properties. In this research, four PCAs with different functional groups were used for fabric neutralization to merge mercerization and poly- functional finishing into one continuous process. The PCA treated fabrics were then assessed for their performance. All four PCAs were effective in improving crease recovery and soil release properties, and reducing the flammability, of the treated cotton fabric.

Carbon Mineralization Rates and Kinetics of Surface-Applied and Incorporated Rice and Maize Residues in Entisol and Inceptisol Soil Types

Mineralization of carbon (C) is a burning issue that is regulated by soil attributes. It has direct impacts on crop productivity and quantification of organic residues addition in soil. For better understanding and achievement of potential tillage benefits, a comprehensive scientific understanding of C mineralization is very important. Therefore, a laboratory incubation experiment was conducted to investigate the C mineralization rates and kinetics of crop residues (rice and maize) when applied on the surface (as zero-tillage, ZT) and incorporation (as conventional tillage, CT) in four different soil types (S1 and S2 of Entisol; S3 and S4 of Inceptisols) of West Bengal state, India. Results showed that after 7 days of incubation, there was a rapid phase of decrease in CO2-C. It continued up to day 14 followed by a sluggish nature of CO2 emission up to day-42, and after that almost levelling off in all subsequent periods up to the end of 126 days of incubation. It was evident from the kinetic models that C mineralization from the residues followed the exponential model: C = C0 (1 − e−kt). Similar rate constant (k) values were recorded in both placement methods, but the rate of maximum potential mineralizable (C0k) residue C was higher under residue incorporation treatments for both rice and maize residue. However, the rice and maize residues showed almost similar amounts of C mineralized over time when applied on the surface. The future prediction analysis using the equation C = C0 × e−kt suggested that the residues incorporated into the soil release a maximum C irrespective of residue type. We conclude that the residues when incorporated into the soil significantly increase the C footprints through maximum C mineralization; leaving the crop residues on the soil surface reduces the C footprints which helps in achieving sustainability from an environmental perspective.

Sources and routes from terrestrial exogenous pollutants affect phytoplankton biomass in reservoir bays

Reservoir bays, the boundary of terrestrial and water where water fluidity slows down and self-purification ability turn weak, hence they are especially sensitive to terrestrial exogenous pollutants, even resulting in eutrophication. According to N:P, water nutrients types can be divided into N limited, P limited and N + P limited classes. Phytoplankton biomass is represented by chlorophyll a, which is one of the sensitive indicators of water eutrophication. Comprehensively traced non-point pollution from terrestrial exogenous pollutants (fertilizer, soil release, anthropogenic discharge) to water nutrients that happen in reservoir bays is of great significance. This paper identified the dominant environmental variables and nutrients limited types of reservoir bays at storage and discharge periods, constructed partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) to explore the impacts of terrestrial exogenous pollutants. Results showed that in storage period water contamination mainly came from residential discharge and soil endogenous release, the total contribution rate reached 61%. In discharge period, with the increase of rainfall – runoff erosion, the explanatory ability of land use, topography and landscape pattern to water quality increased, up to 58%. The dominant nutrients limited types of reservoir bays were P limited (35%–47%) and N + P limited (35%–59%) at both stages, N limited situations less than 20% and generally appeared in storage period. Whatever the nutrients limited type was, phosphorus always had a higher effect on phytoplankton biomass. In N limited situation, nitrogen mainly from soil release (total effect = 0.6) and phosphorus from fertilizer (total effect = 0.22) and soil release (total effect = 0.17). In P limited situation, all three sources had almost high effects on nitrogen, phosphorus, and phytoplankton biomass. In N + P limited situation, the anthropogenic discharge was the main source of nutrients and the primary threaten factor for phytoplankton biomass. The approaches employed in this study could be generalized to the other basin and the results were significant to early warning and controlling water eutrophication.

Selenium in wastewater can be adsorbed by modified natural zeolite and reused in vegetable growth

Modified natural zeolites (MNZ) are widely used in pollutant removal, but how to address these MNZ that have adsorbed pollutants must be considered. Selenium is an essential trace element for metabolism and is also a water pollutant. Selenium is adsorbed in the water by MNZ in this study first. Then the Brassica chinensis L. was planted in the soil which contains the MNZ loaded with selenium (MNZ-Se) to explore selenium uptake. MNZ-Se release tests in water and soil were also considered. The results showed the following: (1) The maximum adsorption capacity of MNZ for selenium is 46.90 mg/g. (2) Water release experiments of MNZ-Se showed that regardless of how the pH of the aqueous solution changes, the trend of the release of selenium from MNZ-Se in aqueous solution is not affected and first decreases before stabilizing. (3) Soil release experiments of MNZ-Se showed that the selenium content in the soil increased and reached the concentration in the standard of selenium-rich soil. Addition amount and soil pH value will affect the release ratio. The release ratio of MNZ-Se in the water was higher than that in the soil. (4) With an increase in the soil MNZ-Se content, the selenium content in the soil and B. c increases. Above all, MZN can be a good medium for water pollutant removal and soil improvement.

Serviceability Assessment of a Printed Finish on T-Shirts

To improve the comfort of agricultural workers, a T-shirt with a printed active cooling finish was evaluated to determine if it would meet the wash life durability and performance expectations of such an arduous application. Six shirts with a printed phase change material (PCM) finish and six shirts without (control) were washed 50 times to replicate a typical consumer wash life. Shirts were evaluated for absorbency, dimensional change, colorfastness, crocking, abrasion resistance, soil release, and smoothness retention according to AATCC and ASTM standard test methods. Testing was conducted before laundering and after 1, 5, 10, 20, 30, 35, 40, 45, and 50 consumer laundry (CL) cycles. Absorbency and dimensional change were significantly influenced by the PCM finish. Results demonstrate the appropriateness of adopting such a finish technology for agricultural worker clothing applications.