Effect of Photocatalysis-plated Clothing on Sweat Malodor Caused by Exercise

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the effect of photocatalysis-plated garment influenced the sweat malodor caused by exercise in the heat. Eight healthy male subjects performed two exercise and heat stress trials who wore T-shirts coated by titanium dioxide and apatite（TDA），or wore normal T-shirts（CON）．Each trial was consisted of the 20 min. running at 60%HRmax, and the 30min. seated rest. Testing was done in a room maintained at 30℃ and 70% relative humidity. Before and after the trial, the odor of T-shirts was analyzed by an electronic nose. The odor index（indicating odor quantity）in the TDA did not change after the trial, but that in the CON increased（p<0.01）．The intensity of smell representation（indicating odor quality）for hydrogen sulfide and organic acid system in the CON increased after the trial, but there was no change in the TDA（p<0.05 and p<0.01, respectively）．These results shows that the titanium dioxide and apatite coating inhibit the malodor from the T-shirts caused by exercise in the heat.