Abstract
Cellulose fabrics were treated successively with ammonium zirconyl carbonate solution and a solution of antibiotics such as streptomycin sulfate and gentamicin sulfate by two bath pad-cure/batch procedure and conventional two-both pad-cure procedure. The reactivity of streptomycin sulfate with fabric containing zirconium complex was higher than that of gentamicin sulfate. The fabrics reacted with streptomycin sulfate and gentamicin sulfate via zirconium complex as medium showed antimicrobial activity by a controlled-release mechanism. Antimicrobial activity imparted by treating with zirconium complex and antibiotics was initially extremely high. Durability to laundering of fabrics treated with zirconium complex and gentamicin sulfate was higher than that of fabrics treated with zirconium complex and streptomycin sulfate. Fabrics treated with zirconium complex and gentamicin sulfate retained adequate antimicrobial activity after twenty launderings.