Joan Laughlin

Assessment of Textiles and Clothing Academic Programs in the United States

This study provides information to academic units about textiles and clothing programs in higher education, and will serve faculty reshaping the academic future of programs With baseline information, academic units could use comparison data during strategic management processes. Administrators of academic units with four-year textiles and clothing programs were mailed a questionnaire soliciting characteristics of the unit and the faculty, curricular elements currently included in the program, competencies and future directions. Questionnaires from 143 units (78% return) met the inclusion criterion of an academic major in textiles and clothing. Over 77% of the 16,000 undergraduate students majored in RetailinglMerchandising; 13% were Fashion/Apparel Design majors and only 9% were Textiles, Apparel, Clothing, General majors. Seven curricular elements were identified as common in textiles and clothing programs: Beginning Textiles, Color and Design Principles, Socio-psychological Aspects of Clothing, History of Clothing, Cultural Aspects of Dress, Merchandise Operations and Fashion Theory. As undergraduate enrollment increases, the number of curricular elements in programs increase. A critical mass of students, and resources that accompany student numbers, may determine breadth of offerings. Presence or absence of a graduate program influences undergraduate curriculum. Increased numbers of faculty contribute to expectations relative to student outcomes. Respondents indicated significant additions to curricular elements in the future, even when considering the probability of decreased resources.

Fabric Parameters and Pesticide Characteristics That Impact on Dermal Exposure of Applicators

Fabric functional finish and formulation of pesticides are factors that contribute to pesticide wicking, wetting, and penetration. Fluorocarbon soil-repellent finishes inhibit contamination of the fabric and of sentinel pads. An undergarment layer offers better protection than does a single layer. Spun-bonded olefin offers protection of the same magnitude as soil-repellent finishes. Methyl parathion residues after laundering were similar for the unfinished fabric, the durable-press finished fabric, and the soil-repellent finished fabric, but the initial contamination of the soil-repellent finished fabric was only 20% of that of the other two fabrics.

Detergents and water temperature as factors in methyl parathion removal from denim fabrics

ConclusionsBased on the results of this investigation, contaminated denim fabrics should not be laundered in 30°C (85°F) temperature; hotter temperatures are more effective. Although detergents could not be statistically separated, heavy duty liquid detergents appeared to excel in providing higher levels of pesticide removal in water temperatures of 49°C and 60°C. To determine the optimal conditions for pesticide removal by laundering, additional investigations need to be made into the relationships between detergent, pesticide formulation, water temperature, and effects of multiple washings.

Effect of Laundering Procedures and Functional Finishes on Removal of Insecticides Selected from Three Chemical Classes

Eleven pesticides from three chemical classes were chosen for comparison of residues after laundering. Pesticide was introduced to the fabric surface of one of three fabrics-unfinished (UN), renewable consumer applied fluorocarbon finished (RF), and commercially applied fluorocarbon finished (CM) fabric. The fabrics were laundered using one of three laundry treatments-a heavy-duty liquid detergent (HDL) alone, an HDL with a prewash spray, and an HDL with an agriculturally marketed pretreatment. Gas chromatographic analysis showed that the fluorocarbon-finished fabrics absorbed only 10% of the pesticide absorbed by the UN fabrics. Residues after laundering were significantly different both among and within classes. Although both fluorocarbon finishes reduced absorption of pesticide, they did not facilitate removal of the contaminant through laundering. Laundry additives significantly aided residue reduction.

Laundry factors influencing methyl parathion removal from contaminated denim fabric

ConclusionsThe level of MeP concentration is inversely related to the amount of residue removed through laundry. As a result, higher pesticide concentrations or undiluted chemicals require utmost care in handling. Even following ten multiple launderings, residues of an undiluted MeP contaminant can be readily detected in fabrics, as well as cause mortality to German cockroaches within 24 h. It is recommended therefore, that clothing contaminated with high pesticide concentrations be disposed of by burning or burial, as the fabric remains unsafe to the wearer. Fabrics contaminated with lesser MeP concentrations (i.e. field strength) require a minimum of three launderings before biological activity reaches a harmless level. In addition, sudsy household ammonia as a laundry additive does not practically contribute to pesticide residue removal as the cost and amount of ammonia required to fill a washing machine is not feasible. Other laundry procedures, such as pre-rinsing and/or multiple washing, appear to be more effective.

Methyl parathion removal from Denim fabrics by selected laundry procedures

Safety is essential for persons working with pesticides because of the potential of health-endangering exposure. Reduction in pesticide-related accidents among these individuals requires knowledge of pesticide use, toxicology, and proper pesticide handling. WOLFE et al. (1967) established that the principal route of pesticide absorption into the body among agricultural workers was through the skin and not the respiratory system.

Methyl parathion transfer from contaminated fabrics to subsequent laundry and to laundry equipment

ConclusionsBased on these data, the percentages of MeP transferred in laundry were miniscule; however care should be exercised in laundering of pesticide contaminated clothing in the home. WP formulations may be most easily removed from the original fabric and most readily transferred to the clean fabric due to the particulate nature of their composition. Rinsing the laundry apparatus is recommended even though subsequent work may reveal more satisfactory ways to effect equipment clean up. Although the percentage of pesticide transferred by contaminated laundry apparatus may be slight in relation to a.i. made available in laundry of contaminated clothing, this amount may affect particularly susceptible individuals. These conclusions were based on Laundry-Ometer studies and before other recommendations can be made, further field work should be undertaken using home laundry appliances.

Cleaning Protective Apparel to Reduce Pesticide Exposure

Each year 1.04 billion kg of pesticides are used to control insects, weeds, fungi, and other pests in the United States (Wasserstrom and Wiles 1985). Human pesticide exposure continues to be a problem for those who use these chemical tools. The three routes of pesticide entry into the human body are respiratory, dermal, and oral. Dermal absorption has been shown to account for 87% of the total human pesticide exposure (Wolfe 1973; Gold et al. 1982; Maibach et al. 1971). Dermal exposure involves the absorption of toxic chemicals through the skin where they are disseminated throughout the body via the blood (Niles 1985).

Laundering procedures for removal of 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid ester and amine herbicides from contaminated fabrics

Denim fabrics were contaminated with 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) ester and 2,4-D amine formulations and laundered. The variables examined were pesticide formulations, temperatures, pre-rinse conditions, detergents, ammonia additive, and number of washings. A clean fabric, designated the “transfer fabric”, was laundered with the contaminated denim to assess amounts of herbicide transferred during laundering. Solubility of the formulation was a major factor in ease of removal and transfer during laundering. The amine is water-soluble and was readily removed during the laundry process. Generally, 60°C water temperature and heavy-duty liquid detergent without ammonia additive provided better pesticide removal than other tested conditions. Pre-rinse was not a contributing factor in herbicide removal, but resulted in significantly less amounts of 2,4-D transferred to concomitant laundry. A second washing cycle removed significantly greater amounts of the herbicide than a single washing.

Decontaminating Pesticide Protective Clothing

The review of recent work on the mechanisms of soil removal from textiles assists in understanding decontamination of pesticide protective clothing. The current work provides explanatory conclusions about residue retention as a basis of making recommendations for the most effective decontamination procedures. A caution about generalizations: Some pesticides produce very idiosyncratic responses to decontamination. An example is the paraquat/salt response. Other pesticides exhibit noticeable and unique responses to a highly alkaline medium (carbaryl), or to bleach (chlorpyrifos), or are quickly volatilized (methyl parathion). Responses such as these do not apply to other pesticides undergoing decontamination. Given this caution, there are soil, substrate, and solvent responses that do maximize residue removal. Residue removal is less complete as the concentration of pesticide increases. The concentration of pesticide in fabric builds with successive exposures, and the more concentrated the pesticide, the more difficult the removal. Use a prewash product and/or presoak. The surfactant and/or solvent in a prewash product is a booster in residue removal. Residues transfer from contaminated clothing to other clothing during the washing cycle. Use a full washer of water for a limited number of garments to increase residue removal. The hotter the washing temperature, the better. Generally, this means a water temperature of at least 49 degrees C, and preferably 60 degrees C. Select the detergent shown to be more effective for the formulation: heavy-duty liquid detergents for emulsifiable concentrate formulations and powdered phosphate detergents for wettable powder formulations. If the fabric has a soil-repellent finish, use 1.25 times the amount recommended on the detergent label. For water hardness above 300 ppm, an additional amount of powdered phosphate detergent is needed to obtain the same level of residue removal as obtained with the heavy-duty liquid detergent when laundering fabrics with the soil-repellent finish. The mechanical action of agitation increases dislodgement of particulate material. Too many items in the washing apparatus or too low water volume, or both, decrease agitation and soil removal. Bleach can be used if desired. Fabric softener does not affect pesticide absorption or residue removal in laundering. Dry cleaning is not recommended because the solvents used in dry cleaning may be recycled through dilution, filtration, activated charcoal adsorption, or distillation. Pesticides still may be present in recycled solvents and can be transferred from one item to another, or from one load to subsequent loads of dry cleaning.