Development of a novel bacterial transport swab using bioscoured Himalayan Urtica parviflora fibres

Nettle bacteriological transport swab as an alternative to cotton and viscose swabs.

Abstract

The Himalayan stinging nettle (Urtica parviflora) remains an underutilised natural resource in Sikkim, with limited research exploring its fibre potential. This study introduces a novel application of nettle bast fibres for the development of bacterial transport swabs — a first of its kind globally. Nettle fibres are extracted through retting and enzymatic bioscouring, followed by detailed characterisation using SEM, FTIR and TGA analyses. Swabs fabricated from these fibres are evaluated for absorption capacity and validated through qualitative (roll-plate) and quantitative (swab elution) bacterial recovery tests against standard cotton and viscose swabs. The results reveal that nettle fibre swabs perform comparably to cotton and viscose in terms of bacterial recovery and absorption efficiency. Additionally, nettle offers advantages of renewability, biodegradability, and low production cost. The findings highlight nettle fibre as a promising sustainable alternative for microbiological transport swabs, combining functional performance with environmental and economic benefits.