Potassium salts are readily removed from raw cotton by washing the cotton with water. The potassium contents of cotton samples determined by ion-selective electrode, atomic absorption, and x-ray fluorescence methods confirmed that washed samples had low levels of potassium compared to unwashed samples. A sodium cobaltinitrite spot test for potassium is consistently positive for unwashed cotton samples and negative for washed cotton samples. Thus, the potassium content can serve as a marker for washed cotton.
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3.
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4.
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5.
Elleman, C.J. , and Entwistle, P.F., A Study of Glands on Cotton Responsible for the High pH and Cation Concentration of the Leaf Surface, Ann. Appl. Biol.100, 553-558 (1982).
6.
Feigl, F., "Spot Tests in Inorganic Analysis," 5th ed., translated by R. E. Oesper, Elsevier Pub. Co., New York, 1958, p. 230.
7.
Goynes, W.R. , and Berni, R.J., Microelemental Analysis for Identifying Cotton-Related Dust Particles, Textile Res. J.52, 654-662 (1982).
8.
Guthrie, J.D. , The Chemistry of Lint Cotton, in "The Chemistry and Chemical Technology of Cotton," K. Ward , Jr., Ed., Interscience Publishers Inc., N.Y., 1955, pp. 1-14.
9.
Honeybourne, D., Wales, D.S., Watson , A., Lee, W.R., and Sagar, B.F., "Byssinosis: Causative Agent and Clinical Aspects (A Critical Research Review)," Shirley Institute , Manchester, England, 1982, pp. 116-119.
10.
Hulanicki, A., Trojanowicz, M., and Pobozy, E., Effect of Surfactants on the Response of Ion-Selective Electrodes with Poly(vinyl Chloride) Membranes , Analyst107, 1356-1362 (1982 ).
11.
McCall, E.R. , and Jurgens, J.F., "Chemical Composition of Cotton ," Textile Res. J.21, 19-21 (1951).
12.
Merchant, J.A. , Lumsden, J.C., Kilburn , K.H., Germino, V.H., Hamilton, J.D., Lynn, W.S., Byrd, H., and Baucom, D., Preprocessing Cotton to Prevent Byssinosis , Br. J. Ind. Med.30, 237-247 (1973).
13.
Muller, L.L., Piccolo, B., Berni, R.J., and Cocke, J.B., Chemical Characterization of Washed Cotton, in " Proc. Cotton Dust Res. Conf." (Beltwide Cotton Prod. Res. Conf., Natl. Cotton Council and Cotton Foundation, Las Vegas, Nev.), 6, 1982, pp. 47-51.
14.
Perkins, H.H., Jr., and Cocke, J.B. , Washing Methods for Cotton: Effects on Fiber, Processing Qualities, and Dust Generation, ACS Symp. Ser. No. 189, 1982, pp. 37-51.
