Page 72 - February-March 2021

Recycling
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breakthrough:

Researchers have

successfully

converted cotton

into Spandex and

Purissimo: A natural allergen control Nylon

So far, recycling cotton means converting into other cotton products. What if we could recycle cotton into
technology for textiles Nylon and Spandex? Is it possible? The answer is a big YES! Researchers from Sweden’s Lund University
have found a way to convert cotton into sugar, which in turn can be made into spandex, nylon, or ethanol.

Edvin Ruuth is working at the Department of Chemical Engineering in Lund. There is a great deal of
information about using micro-organisms and enzymes to transform the “tougher” carbohydrates in biomass
into simpler molecules. This means that everything from biological waste and black liquor to straw and wood
chips can become bioethanol, biogas and chemicals. In the new research, scientists have succeeded in
Purissimo is allergen control technology produced by begins to produce chemicals to fight against the breaking down the plant fiber in cotton, the cellulose, into smaller components. However, no micro-organisms
Devan of Ronse Belgium. The new finish has been pollen. This is known as an allergic reaction, and the or enzymes are involved. Instead, the process involves soaking the fabrics in sulphuric acid. The result is a
found effective against allergens from pollen. The specific type of pollen that causes it is known as an clear, dark, amber-colored sugar solution.
technology had already been proven to significantly allergen.
reduce the number of allergens from house dust The researchers started making glucose out of fabrics a year ago, the return was a paltry three to four per
mites and pets. Inactive probiotics as spores are Sofie Depluverez, PhD researcher at Devan, said, cent. Now he and his colleagues have reached as much as 90 per cent. Once the recipe formulation is
encapsulated and integrated into the textiles. Friction “Allergens are small protein molecules, which can complete, it will be both relatively simple and cheap to use. However, for the process to become a reality, the
opens the microcapsules and releases the spores cause allergic reactions and asthma. All allergy logistics must work. There is currently no established way of managing and sorting various textiles that are not
which absorb humidity and self-activate and are then sufferers are different when it comes to their sent to ordinary clothing donation points.
transformed into probiotic bacteria that start to sensitivity to allergens, but few people are only
consume the allergens. allergic to a single allergen and the effects of multiple Fortunately, a recycling center unlike any other in the world is currently under construction in Malmö, where
allergens can add up. The key to reducing and even clothing is sorted automatically using a sensor. Some clothing will be donated, rags can be used in industry
Pollen is one of the most common causes of eliminating symptoms is to reduce your exposure to and textiles with sufficiently coarse fibers can become new fabrics. The rest will go to district heating.
allergies in the United States. Pollen is a very fine the allergens themselves. As time goes by, the
powder produced by trees, flowers, grasses, and various allergens start to build up inside the house, Hopefully, the proportion of fabrics going to district heating will be significantly smaller once the technology
weeds to fertilize other plants of the same species. certainly when ventilation is limited. As the allergen from Lund is in place. From a normal sheet, they extract five liters of sugar solution, with each liter containing
Many people have an adverse immune response concentration increases – especially in combination the equivalent of 33 sugar cubes. However, you couldn’t turn the liquid into a soft drink as it also contains
when they breathe in pollen. with seasonal allergens such as pollen, the allergy corrosive sulphuric acid.
threshold may be reached if no allergen reduction
The immune system normally defends the body measures are in place. As the probiotics consume Ruuth said, “What makes cotton unique is that its cellulose has a high crystallinity. This makes it difficult to
against harmful invaders, such as viruses and the allergens, exposure is gradually reduced to break down the chemicals and reuse their components. In addition, there are a lot of surface treatment
bacteria, to ward off illnesses. In people with pollen below threshold levels. Therefore, individuals with substances, dyes and other pollutants which must be removed. And structurally, a terrycloth towel and an old
allergies, the immune system mistakenly identifies respiratory allergies will be exposed to fewer pair of jeans are very different. Thus it is a very delicate process to find the right concentration of acid, the
the harmless pollen as a dangerous intruder. It attacks.” right number of treatment stages and temperature.”

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