CiliTest

A simple testing method to estimate the toxicological potential of textile samples

The production of textile products is associated with a potential risk to health and the environment, which is increasingly viewed critically by both regulatory authorities and consumers. However, especially for the textile sector, the toxicity tests used so far have several drawbacks. For example, it is often not possible to test solid, heterogeneous or highly colored samples. Therefore, the validation of a simple method to determine the toxic potential of textile samples was the aim of the R&D project. The basis for this was the heat development of ciliates (Figure 1) as a measure of normal or inhibited growth in the presence of pollutants.

It has been proven that the ciliate test is suitable for the toxicological evaluation of materials. Thus, solutions of toxic substances inhibit the growth of microorganisms. In addition, the measurement method also allows the evaluation of textile samples and statements on the resistance of finishes. The change in the growth rate of the ciliates can be used as a measure of the toxic effect of a sample under investigation and thus form the basis for a subsequent test standard. In addition, tests were carried out on industrial samples, and the results correlated excellently with expectations or with comparable test standards. This opens up new possibilities for potential customers in the future to have their products, as well as process and waste water, easily evaluated with regard to their toxic potential. The method is initially aimed at customers from medium-sized textile manufacturing and textile finishing companies, as well as clothing manufacturers who want to have their products tested for toxicological safety.

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