Self-cleaning fabric kills bacteria

DAVIS, Calif., Sept. 28 (UPI) -- A new cotton fabric is self-cleaning, killing bacteria and breaking down toxic chemicals such as pesticide residues when exposed to light, U.S. researchers say.

Developed by chemists at the University of California, Davis, the cotton is chemically treated with a compound known as 2-anthraquinone carboxylic acid that strongly bonds to the cellulose in cotton making it difficult to wash off, unlike present self-cleaning agents, a university release said Wednesday.

"The new fabric has potential applications in biological and chemical protective clothing for healthcare, food processing and farm workers, as well as military personnel," said Ning Liu, who conducted the work as a doctoral student at the UC Davis Division of Textiles of Clothing.

The 2-AQC compound, when exposed to light, produces reactive hydroxyl radicals and hydrogen peroxide that can kill bacteria and break down toxic organic compounds.

The compound does not affect the properties of the fabric, the researchers said.

The work was published in the Journal of Materials Chemistry.