1999 Volume 61 Issue 1 Pages 149-156
The absorption of some evil-smelling substances was investigated for various fibers: wool, cotton, nylon, acrylic, and polyester. As evil-smelling substances, we chose ammonia (NH3), hydrogen sulfide (H2S), acetic acid (CH3COOH), acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), and formaldehyde (HCHO), which are often emitted in agricultural works. In addition, the effect of moisture content in fibers on the absorption evil-smelling substances was investigated. The results obtained are as follows. 1) The amount of absorption was largely dependent on the type of fibers, while it was slightly dependent on the type of evil-smelling substances. In the case of NH3, the amount was in the following order; Wool>Cotton>Nylon>Acrylic>Polyester. In the case of H2 S, Cotton>Wool>Polyester>Nylon>Acrylic. In the case of CH3COOH, CH3CHO, and HCHO, Wool>Cotton>Nylon>Polyester>Acrylic. 2) The amount of sorption increased nearly in proportion to the moisture content of fibers. 3) The amount of absorption for HCHO which shows a good affinity for water, gradually increased with the relative humidity in lower relative humidity region, and it more drastically increased in higher relative humidity region. In the former region it behaved in a manner of Langmuir equation. 4) The amount of absorption extrapolated to zero mg/g of moisture content is proportional to the solubility parameter of fibers. This fact may indicate that the solubility parameter can be used as a measure of the characteristic absorption to fibers.
