| Contents Notes |
This project was initiated to investigate potential toxicities of dyebath discharges from atmospheric dyeing of 100% polyester fabric with three commercial dye carriers: trichlorobenzene (TCB), biphenyl (BP), and o-phenyl phenol (OPP). First, criteria were established to rank the priority of all commercial dye carriers, based on known toxicities, volumes of consumption, etc. Commercial dyeing of polyester fiber/fabric was simulated in the laboratory, using a commercial disperse dye, other dyebath additives, and the selected dye carriers. Biological testing and chemical analyses were carried out on the discharges of these dyebath systems. Bioassays included 1) Ames Salmonella/microsome mutagenesis assay, 2) acute in-vivo mouse quanta! assay and, 3) aquatic ecological assay with Daphnia magna. Analytical procedures were established for both qualitative identification and quantitative determination of key dyebath components. In-depth studies were also carried out on two dyebath systems (TCB and BP) to identify species responsible for the observed toxicity and to delineate possible chemical and/or biological interactions between the dyebath components. The TCB system was also investigated to demonstrate that the toxicity of these dyebath discharges can be reduced significantly by increasing dyeing efficiency. The dyeing process was carefully evaluated to determine the dye and carrier contents necessary to achieve maximum dyebath efficiency. |
