Abstract:

PLA fibres with the addition of the microbicidal agent Sanitized were examined by the two quantitative standards JIS L 1902:2002 and ASTM: E2149–01. It was found that the two different methods used to assess the antibacterial activity of one sample may produce results that contrast with each other. The impact of the testing conditions upon the results obtained was deliberated. Discussed are criteria to interpret the results obtained by the use of the two methods. The antibacterial activity of lactic acid liberated from PLA in an aqueous medium was confirmed. It was also examined how the laundering of  fibers affect the antibacterial activity of the samples tested.