Article
Article
Textile microbiology
Article By:
Heyn, A. N. J. Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Last reviewed:June 2020
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1036/1097-8542.687600
That branch of industrial microbiology concerned with textile materials. Most of the microorganisms on textiles—the fungi, actinomycetes, and bacteria—originate from air, soil, and water. Some of the microorganisms are harmful to either the fibers or the consumer. They may decompose the cellulose or protein in the fiber or affect the consumer's health. Since the minimum moisture content for microorganism development is 7%, dry storage is an effective prevention measure. Some of the microorganisms are useful, for example in the retting process, in which fibers are liberated from the stalks of such fiber plants as flax, hemp, and jute.
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