BIODEGRADABLE CELLULOSIC SANITARY NAPKINS FROM WASTE COTTON AND NATURAL EXTRACT BASED ANTI-BACTERIAL NANOCOLORANTS

Abstract

With the aim to develop biodegradable quality sanitary pads at affordable prices to the schoolgirls and women, locally available cotton waste materials and anti-bacterial nanocolorants are used to prepare anti-bacterial biodegradable absorbent material suitable for sanitary napkins and diapers. Cotton fluff from loom waste was collected, cleaned and hydro-entangled to form absorbent sheet. The sheet shows water absorbency of more than 470%. Electrochemically synthesized natural extract (from neem and orange peel) based nanocolorants were incorporated in the material to improve their anti-bacterial ability. Further, microporous polylactic acid biodegradable sheet was used to pack the absorbent layer and its performance was tested. This anti-bacterial biodegradable absorbent pad would be an ideal substitute for synthetic sanitary pads considering its 100% biodegradability. This can provide a long-term viable alternative to the current practices.