Clean Cotton: A Research Tool1

Abstract

Small-scale studies in 1978 suggested that human FEV₁ (forced expiratory volume in 1 s) reactions and card-room dust levels were distinctly lower when clean cotton was processed through a model card room than when standard cotton was processed. Insufficient clean cotton was available from crop year 1978 to adequately replicate the test. Thus, in 1979, more than eight times the quantity of clean cotton for crop year 1978 was procured. The clean cotton was harvested in the unopened boll form, decontaminated, conditioned until opened, hand-picked, ginned with minimal equip ment, and protected from environmental contamination. In addition to the clean cotton, large quantities of cotton of other conditions were collected for comparison.