In this study, natural dyeing using Polygonum tinctoria was performed with linen, ramie, and hemp, which are biodegradable cellulose fibers, considering environmental aspects. In particular, the impacts of alkali NaOH and reducing agent Na2S2O4 were examined, and the possibilities of minimizing the use and reusing the dye were explored. The surface dye concentrations were found to be in the following order: hemp>linen>ramie. With the increase in all additives, the L* value decreased, and the ⊿E and K/S values increased gradually. When Na2S2O4 was 1g/L, the surface color of the dye appeared uniformly from the NaOH concentration of 0.4g/L (pH 10.84). When NaOH was 0.4g/L, the K/S values of linen and ramie increased rapidly after 0.4g/L of Na2S2O4, and hemp maintained a stable color from 0.6g/L of Na2S2O4. With the increase in the dye concentration from 1 to 6g/L, all the fibers were dyed uniformly. The K/S value increased or higher doubled upon repeated dyeing six times for 5 min than when dyed only once for 30 min. Therefore, the linen, ramie, and hemp fibers dyed repeatedly exhibited good washing, rubbing, and colorfastness to perspiration, which was rated between 4 and 4–5, and that to light was rated as 5. Moreover, no discoloration due to sunlight was observed. Finally, linen exhibited a bacterial reduction of 99.9%, thereby indicating its excellent antibacterial property.

In this paper, we report and discuss the semi-permanently hydrophilic (SPH) treatment of polyester fabric using plasma polymerization and oxidation based on atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (APDBD) technology. SiOxCy (-H) was coated on polyester fabric using Hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (HMCTSO) as a precursor, and then plasma oxidation was performed to change the upper layer of the thin film to SiO2-like. The degradation of hydrophilicity of the SPH polyester fabrics was evaluated by water contact angle (WCA) and wicking time after repeated washing. The surface morphology of the coated yarns was observed with scanning electron microscopy, and the presence of the coating layer was confirmed by measuring the Si peak using energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy. The WCA of the SPH polyester fabric increased to 50 degrees after 30 washes, but it was still hydrophilic compared to the untreated fabric. The decrease in hydrophilicity of the SPH fabric was due to peeling of the SiOxCy(-H) thin film coated on polyester yarns.

The surge in food delivery systems during the coronavirus 2019 pandemic necessitated this study of heavy metal migration from food contact materials (FCMs). A total of 104 samples of FCMs, comprising 51 polypropylene (PP), 21 polyethylene (PE), and 32 polystyrene (PS) samples of six different types of FCMs (containers, covers, table utensils, cups, pouches, and wrappers) used for food delivery distributed in Korea, were collected and investigated for migration of three heavy metals (Pb, Cd, and As) using inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) to determine whether they complied with Korea’s Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages. Acetic acid (4%, v/v) was used as the food simulant, and tests were performed at 100oC (in harsh conditions) for 30 min. Linearity of Pb, Cd, and As showed acceptable results with a coefficient of determination (R2) value of 0.9999. Limit of detection (LOD) and limit of quantification (LOQ) of Pb, Cd, and As were 0.001, 0.001, and 0.001 μg/L and 0.002, 0.003, and 0.003 μg/L, respectively. Accuracy and precision results complied with the criteria presented in the European Commission Joint Research Centre guidelines. The average concentration of Pb, Cd, and As migration detected in a total of 104 samples was 0.009–0.260 μg/L, which was very low compared with the migration specification set in the Standards and Specifications for Utensils, Containers, and Packages. The maximum level of Pb corresponded to 0.23% of the migration limit. There were no samples exceeding the limit. Thus, this study confirmed that the heavy metal contents of FCMs used for delivery food distributed in Korea were safely managed. The data from this study represent an invaluable source for science-based safety management of hazardous heavy metals migrating from FCMs used in the food delivery industry.