To look for the soot particles, the best simple way would be to use a
microscope or just good magnifying glass as
... Soot varies in size from very small particles which are less than
0.1 micrometer in diameter to very large aggregates
http://www.bsu.edu/web/IEN/archives/2000/101900.htm
Let's consider other sources. The 'graying' is an age old problem;
Before 'whiteners' like bleach were invented, eople used to expose
white laundry to sunshine. Both, UV light and bleach do the same thing
- by oxidation they break large molecules of dirt which is resistant to
detergents. This what the experts say:
"... To reburbish clothing from these discolorations:
consider speciality products available in grocery or drug stores,
such as Rit's "Whitener and Brightener" to whiten the fabric ..."
http://www.fabriclink.com/fabricstains/Dinginess.html
Mrs Clean has this advice:
: Graying handkerchiefs can be caused by washing whites with darker
colors, so keep that in mind for the future. To clean your
handkerchiefs -- assuming they are cotton and not of vintage, delicate
fabric -- the folks at Lever Brothers recommend soaking the
handkerchiefs in hot water and dishwashing detergent for about 30
minutes. Then wash in hot water, detergent and bleach safe for the
fabric; dry as usual.
http://www.mrscleanjeans.net/articles/wdb_stubbornFabricstains.html
So, concensus is,it happens a lot, it is just 'dirt',
not particularly in paticular.
Search Terms: cotton, fabric, whiteners, greying
I believe advixe of quted experts will help.
hedgie |
Request for Answer Clarification by
thelonemonk-ga
on
19 Jan 2004 07:08 PST
Hello hedgie-ga:
Thank you for taking a stab at my question, however I don't think you
gave me the answer I am looking for. I am in the laundry chemical
business and I am aware of the methods used for whitening and causes
of linen graying. My question was about testing for carbon residue on
towels. We know, or are resonably sure, that carbon from unburned or
improperly burned natural gas can cause linen to gray. Our goal is to
find a (simple)test method that would allow us to indentify this
carbon as the source of gray. Otherwise, we have to go through
multiple (time consuming) processes to eliminate everything else that
could be causing the linen to gray. Once those processes are complete
and find everything to be in order we can only point to the dryer as
the culprit, but have no proof that this linen is gray due to a poorly
tuned dryer. The idea of a microscope is intriguing but has myriad
problems, not the least of which is having untrained people trying to
"read" what a microscope is telling them. My hope in asking this
question was to find an easy way to detect carbon in a towel. There
are many test kits on the market that can detect presence of carbon in
the air and water but none for linen. As another researcher
commented, it may be because there is so much natural carbon in cotton
towels that a simple test wouldn't be able to detect the carbon we
were seeking. It appears that simple chemical reagents aren't
available for this type of testing. Therefore, I thought I'd check
with the knowledgeable google researchers to see if anyone could
search out an answer.
|
Clarification of Answer by
hedgie-ga
on
20 Jan 2004 08:55 PST
Oh, thelonemonk-ga
One of prerequisites of getting a good answer is to tell researchers what
you know:
This :" I am in the laundry chemical
business and I am aware of the methods used for whitening and causes
of linen graying "
It is essential information which changes the question.
Also, the fact that it is a bussiness which is asking changes the
question. The motivation and amount of money a business can spend
is larger.
This may be a good way for you to find out:
There are commercial labs which can make an analysis
of the residual dirt and differentiate it from cotton. Lab would
also have a good microsocpe and trained staff, even though I think
most people could recognise particles of soot.
To find lab in your area would be a a different question -
but I recommend to consult yellow pages, you do not need GA for that.
There is one thing though which may be a useful clarification:
"testing for carbon" is an ambiguous expression - and lab personnel
may a confused by such a request.
I wonder what kits to "detect presence of carbon in the air and water"
you mean. Can you name some?
This is a reason for the confusion: Carbon is an element - and as such
present in most organic compounds, in cotton, in most of 'dirt', in air.
Pure carbon, exists in several forms,
for example as soot, as diamant, and as grafitr and nanotubes.
Most of the carbon around is not present in pure form, but in
compounds, such as carbon dioxide (in the air) or in corganic materials,
for in example in sugar.
Most test (including kits with reagents) test for chemical compounds,
for example for presence of sugar (test doen often in medical labs).
Test can measure amount of carbon dioxide in air. Methods differ.
Want to know, probably,is mix of residuals left on towel
after cleaning. That is all chemical compounds there, next to cotton.
Lab would probably extract residuals by immersing fabric
in a strong organic solvent and run the extract through an infrared
spectrometer. That would tell you how much of what compound you have.
From that it is easy to calculate how much of different kind of atoms
those molecules have. That includes how much carbon is there.
One from of chemicals present may be graphite
or soot and you may want to mention them by this name,
rather then by generic name carbon to avoid ambiguity.
Hope this clarifies my answer sufficiently and
is a useful to you.
Hedgie
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
thelonemonk-ga
on
20 Jan 2004 10:03 PST
Hedgie: First of all, I don't see how it would matter to one
answering the question what my background is. I was not requesting
information on how to clean linens or the causes of gray. What I was
asking is if anyone was aware of a simple test to detect carbon in
linen. The only answer that I really would find acceptable is "Yes.
There is a test an you can find it here:". Consequently, I don't
understand why someone would want to answer the question with much
information that I did not request. Secondly, I don't understand what
difference it would make to the person answering the question if I was
representing a business or or myself. (By the way, this is a question
I am seeking an answer to, I do not represent any business in the
matter.) I am looking for a simple way to test for carbon. If the
test doesn't exist, so be it. I would much prefer that answer as a
definitive rather then a lot of research about what turns linens gray
and how to whiten them.
|
Clarification of Answer by
hedgie-ga
on
20 Jan 2004 22:18 PST
thelonemonk
Simple and definitive answer is this:
Expression 'Testing for carbon' has no clear meaning.
good luck
|
Request for Answer Clarification by
thelonemonk-ga
on
21 Jan 2004 03:55 PST
If that be the case, fine. However, I should think that one would
post that as a comment rather then as an answer, or ask for
clarification before leaping into water over one's head.
|
Clarification of Answer by
hedgie-ga
on
21 Jan 2004 06:16 PST
lone monk
By 'no meaning' I did not mean I do not what carbon or testing is.
I suggest you read this encyclopedia entry:
http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon
and
http://en2.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_compound
|
