Effect of bioactive modified nonwoven systems on the development of house dust mites Dermatophagoides farinae (Acari: Pyroglyphidae) in laboratory assay

Abstract

Limiting the exposure to house dust mite allergens requires integrated approaches and suitable design, and bio-modified textile materials may be used as an element of the complex anti-dust mite protection. The aim of this work was to study the effects of nonwoven systems modified with triclosan on the development of Dermatophagoides farinae house dust mites in laboratory assay. Two four-layer nonwoven polypropylene systems were designed: A – two inner meltblown nonwovens and two outer spun-bonded nonwovens and B – an inner spun-bonded nonwoven, an inner needle-felt nonwoven, an inner meltblown nonwoven, and an outer spun-bonded nonwoven. Bioactive microspheres consisting of poly(L-lactide) (95 wt%) and triclosan (5 wt%) were used. Both systems were modified using dispersion with 2.5 wt% and 10 wt% of microspheres, which corresponds to the content of 0.26 wt% and 1.22 wt% of triclosan in nonwoven samples. The culture tests were performed for modified and unmodified nonwoven samples and the control sample. The anti-dust mite properties were assessed based on the mortality of mites. All modified nonwoven systems showed a strong suppressive effect on the tested Dermatophagoides farinae, compared to the control sample. A higher mortality was observed for nonwoven system B. It was found that a nearly five-fold increase in the triclosan concentration does not lead to a substantial increase in the decline rate of mite populations.