Response of Lint Foreign Matter and Dust to Gin Machinery1

The changes in lint foreign matter and respirable dust in cotton were evaluated using eight different cottons, three moisture levels, and seven gin machine sequences. Linear regression equations were developed to estimate the effect of each machine sequence. Coefficients of determination ranged from 0.85 to 0.93 and from 0.72 to 0.94 fbr the lint foreign matter and respirable dust, respectively. Substantial reduction in the levels of foreign matter (50%) and respirable dust (66%) were achieved by se quences that included lint cleaners, but the other sequences achieved minimal reduc tions. The effectiveness of each machine sequence can be determined with the regression equations and will provide a basis for machinery selection to optimize cleaning and for automatic process control.