Comparison of UV protection properties of cotton fabrics treated with aqueous and methanolic extracts of Solanum nigrum and Amaranthus viridis plants.

Harmful effects of ultraviolet rays and protection against them have been long discussed. Numerous synthetic dyes, finishes, UV absorbers, and optical brightening agents are present in the market for decades for achieving UV protection through textiles. However, due to environmental impacts of these chemical agents, textile industry is looking for alternatives. In this regard, some natural dyes and plant extracts have shown promising results. However, use of colorless plant extracts as UV protective finishes is still rare. In this study, ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) rating of bleached cotton fabric has been improved by the application of plant extracts with minimal change in fabric's color. For this purpose, two medicinal plants, that is, Solanum nigrum and Amaranthus viridis were selected and bleached cotton fabric was treated with their methanolic and aqueous extracts. Fabrics treated with both extracts exhibited excellent UPF ratings.

Comparison of UV Protection Properties of Cotton Fabrics Treated with Aqueous and Methanolic Extracts of Achyranthes aspera and Alhagi maurorum Plants.

UV radiations are high-energy radiations present in sunlight that can damage human skin. Protection against these radiations becomes vital especially in those areas of the globe where UV index is quite high that makes the inhabitants more prone to dangerous effects of UV radiations. Clothing materials are good blockers of UV radiations, particularly when the fabric cover factor is high and/or the fabrics contain suitable UV-blocking finishes. In this study, effect of application of aqueous and methanolic extracts of two different plants, i.e., Achyranthes aspera and Alhagi maurorum on UV protection properties of cotton fabric was investigated. The results showed that the fabric samples treated with extracts of both the plants have excellent UV protection properties as indicated by their ultraviolet protection factor. It was concluded that both the aqueous and methanolic plant extracts are very effective in blocking UVA and UVB radiations, when applied on cotton fabrics. The UV protection performance of Achyranthes aspera extracts was much better as compared to that of Alhagi maurorum, and methanolic extracts of both the plants outperformed the aqueous extracts in terms of UV protection.