Original scientific paper
Discrepancy of Whiteness and UV Protection in Wet State
Anita Tarbuk
orcid.org/0000-0002-4539-2103
; Department for Textile Chemistry and Ecology, Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Ana Marija Grancarić
; Department for Textile Chemistry and Ecology, Faculty of Textile Technology, University of Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia
Mirna Šitum
; Department of Dermatovenereology, “Sestre milosrdnice” University Hospital Centre, Zagreb, Croatia
Abstract
The incidence of skin cancer is increasing by epidemic proportions. Basal cell cancer remains the most common skin
neoplasm, and simple excision is generally curative. On the other hand, aggressive local growth and metastasis are common
features of malignant melanoma, which accounts for 75 percent of all deaths associated with skin cancer. In Croatia
only, more than 20.000 new cases of skin cancer has been diagnosed in 2008 of which melanoma 286 new cases and 118
yearly deaths in men, and 275 new cases and 79 deaths in women population. The back sides in men and women, as well
as the lower limbs in women, are the most common site for melanomas. The primary cause of skin cancer is believed to
be a long exposure to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation crossed with the amount of skin pigmentation in the population.
There are indications that other parts of solar spectrum (e.g. blue light) might also have effects on skin and eyes. Most
people think all clothing will protect them, but that’s not the case. UV clothing can show UV protection, but in the most
cases it does not provide full sun screening properties. UV protection ability highly depends on large number of factors
such are type of fi ber, fabric surface and construction, type and concentration of dyestuff, fl uorescent whitening agent
(FWA), UV-B protective agents, as well as nanoparticles, if applied. For that reason, jeans and tightly woven fabrics offer
a very good level of protection. However, on a hot summer day, those aren’t the kinds of clothing people usually reach for.
More often, when they are on the beach, they wear T-shirt, as well during the swimming in the sea, thinking that it will
protect them. Therefore, in this paper the discrepancy of UV protection in wet state was researched. For the purpose, FWA
and UV absorber were applied in wide concentration range to white cotton knit fabrics commonly used for T-shirts. Afterwards,
the discrepancy in whiteness and UV protection was research in distilled water as well as Adriatic Sea water.
Keywords
UV protection; melanoma; FWA; UV absorber; wet state
Hrčak ID:
147390
URI
Publication date:
26.12.2014.
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