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Have you ever noticed that a polyester t-shirt smells worse than a cotton t-shirt after a workout? A new study from the University of Alberta shows why.
Analysis of various fibers soaked in a simulated sweat solution showed that cotton and viscose, which are cellulosic or plant-based fibers, absorbed – and therefore released – smaller amounts of odor-causing compounds than polyester, nylon and wool.
The main conclusion of the study study explains why some commonly worn fibers smell more than others when people sweat, says Rachel McQueena scientist specializing in clothing and textiles Faculty of Agricultural, Life and Environmental Sciences who conducted the research with colleagues from the University of Otago in New Zealand.
“While we know that polyester smells stronger when worn near sweaty armpits than cotton T-shirts, we don’t really know why. We now understand better how odors are selectively transmitted and absorbed by different types of sweat fibers.”
The study’s method, which uses simulated liquid sweat, also offers an important new approach to exploring the question, she notes.
“Body odor is typically transferred to clothing through liquid sweat, but studies of odor retention in textiles often neglect this exposure pathway in testing procedures,” McQueen says, noting that standard scientific methods only include examining how odor moves from air to textile. “If you had a sweaty armpit that never touched the shirt you were wearing, then the fabric wouldn’t smell much.”
“By studying the transfer of odors to fabrics using a liquid sweat solution, we were able to provide a more realistic insight into how these odorous compounds actually penetrate our clothes.”
In the study, the researchers soaked the fibers in the sweat solution for varying periods of time and then examined the release of various odor-causing compounds from the fibers using analytical equipment capable of detecting odors in the air in real time, much like the human nose does.
Overall, the study showed that cellulosic fibers absorbed smaller amounts of compounds when transferred through the sweat solution than textiles made from wool, nylon, and polyester fibers, which, conversely, initially released higher amounts of odorous compounds.
/University of Alberta News Release. This material from the original organization/authors may be of a point-in-time nature and edited for clarity, style and length. Mirage.News takes no institutional position or bias, and all views, positions and conclusions expressed herein are solely those of the author(s). See the full story here.