Author
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Chun, David |
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Submitted to: National Cotton Council Beltwide Cotton Conference
Publication Type: Proceedings Publication Acceptance Date: 10/31/1996 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Studies were conducted to examine the feasibility of using high cotton moisture content to reduce cotton stickiness. Initially, water alone was added to bring the moisture content to 15%, 30% and 40% moisture. Later, a second set of cottons was brought to 30% moisture using water augmented with urea or ammonia to minimize microbial effects. The cottons were stored for 15 days at room temperature. Microbial population, cotton quality, cotton stickiness, and cotton dust potential were determined. Increased microbial populations were observed with cottons stored under higher moisture contents than with ambient moisture content cottons. Cotton dust potential increased and the greater increases occurred with the wetter cottons. However, when moist cotton is treated with high levels of ammonia before storage, fungal and Gram- negative bacterial populations did not increase during storage and was at levels lower than the ambient moisture cottons. While the cotton dust potential was higher with the 30% moisture content cottons which were treated with high levels of ammonia had the same cotton dust potential as ambient moisture content levels. This along with the reduced Gram-negative population suggests that ammonia may help control development of endotoxin potential in wet stored cottons. Technical Abstract: This study was divided into two parts: initially water alone was used at a cool storage temperature to see if we could observe the effect of water aside from microbial effects; the second part dealt with high moisture only and the addition of urea and ammonia to possibly inhibit the effect of microbial activity. Each moisture content cottons were removed and assayed for microbial population, color, strength, sugar content, thermal detector stickiness determination, and cotton dust potential. Cotton dust potential was determined with the Microdust & Trash Monitor. Increased microbial populations were observed with cotton stored under higher moisture contents. Cotton dust potential increased and the greater increases occurred with the wetter cottons. When moist cotton is treated with high levels of ammonia before storage fungal and Gram-negative bacterial populations did not increase during storage and was at levels lower than the ambient moisture cottons. While the cotton dust potential was higher with the 30% moisture content cottons than the ambient control cottons, the same cottons which were treated with high levels of ammonia had the same cotton dust potential as ambient moisture content levels. This along with the reduced Gram-negative population suggests that ammonia may help control development of endotoxin potential in wet stored cottons which may lead to actual reduced airborne endotoxin load potential. |
