Abstract
The objectives of this research were twofold: to evaluate the feasibility of tracing labeled cotton plant parts from opening through carding and to determine the effect of the cleaning forces exerted on the micronization of such light, friable material. Raw cotton (labeled with 0.1 wt% color index basic yellow 37 prior to ginning) from previous research was used. Waste and lint samples were sieved into 7 fractions which, with all airborne samples, were subjected to epifluorescence microscopy to follow the dispersion of labeled material. Large particles were shown to be micronized into succeedingly finer fractions as the cotton moved through the process. Engineering analysis was used to correlate the degree of disintegration to the type and amount of cleaning forces exerted by the machinery. The de novo particle generation also extended into the respirable range where results in picking and carding appear similarly related to the forces exerted. The ability to follow the micronization of labeled botanical material through successively finer sizes into the respirable range has been demonstrated from ginning through carding.