Author
 |
Chun, David |
|
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: Study divided into two parts: initially water alone was looked at; the second part dealt with high moisture only and the addition of urea and ammonia to possibly inhibit the effect of microbial activity. At each time interval, each moisture content cotton was removed and assayed for microbial population, color, strength, sugar content, thermal detector stickiness determination, and cotton dust potential. A storage test on wet cotton to check on methanogenesis indicated little or no danger of spontaneous combustion under moisture conditions that cotton is normally shipped or stored. Microbial population increases occurred over time with high moisture content cottons increasing at greater rates than with low moisture content cottons. Stickiness was significantly reduced with high moisture content cottons but reflectance and strength decreased and yellowness increased. Cottons stored under a cool temperature with a moisture content of 15% had less stickiness and no significant deterioration of quality. When stored at room temperature, 30% moisture content cottons tended to increase in yellowness or decrease in strength and reflectance; but significantly reduced percent sugar and thermal detector spots. Heavy processing of sticky cottons tends to increase the number of thermal detector spots. Technical Abstract: A long-term storage test conducted on wet cotton to check on methanogenesis indicated little or no danger of spontaneous combustion under moisture conditions that cotton is normally shipped or stored. Microbial population increases occurred over time with high moisture content cottons (30% and 40%) increasing at greater rates than with low moisture content cottons (ambient {~7%} and 15%). While stickiness was significancy reduced with high moisture content cottons, reflectance and strength decreased over time with the high moisture content cottons. However, cottons stored under a cool temperature and with a moisture content of 15% not only had less stickiness, but suffered no significant deterioration of quality of the cottons. When stored for 15 days at room temperature, 30% moisture content cottons tended to increase in yellowness or decrease in strength and reflectance. Treatment with the 30% moisture content significantly reduced percent sugar and thermal detector spots of all treatments. However, some reduced effect on reflectance and strength was observed when the treatment was with the high level of ammonia, but probably not enough to compensate for overall quality loss. Heavy processing of sticky cottons tends to increase the number of thermal detector spots. |
