Self-cleaning cotton kills bacteria, fights pesticides

University of California Davis (UC Davis) researchers have developed a self-cleaning cotton fabric claimed to kill bacteria and break down toxic chemicals when exposed to light. The work was funded by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Defense Threat Reduction Agency and the Jastro Shields Graduate Research Fellowship from the UC Davis College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences. Possible applications include biological and chemical protective clothing for farms workers and employees in food preparation and health care. According to UC Davis, unlike some other agents, it does not affect the properties of the fabric.