Enhanced activity hydrogen peroxide disinfectant

Abstract

An enhanced activity aqueous disinfecting solution having a pH of from about 0.5 to about 6 and consisting essentially of (i) hydrogen peroxide in a concentration of from about 0.05 to about 8 w/w % of the solution; (ii) at least one anionic surfactant selected from the group consisting of C8 to C16 alkyl aryl sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, ethanolamine, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, sulfonated C12 to C22 carboxylic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, C6 to C22 alkyl diphenyl oxide sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, ethanolamine, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, naphthalene sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, C8 to C22 alkyl sulfonic acids and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium C8 to C18 alkyl sulfates, alkyl or alkenyl esters or diesters of sulfosuccinic acid in which the alkyl or alkenyl groups independently contain from six to eighteen carbon atoms and alkali metal, ammonium, calcium and magnesium salts thereof, and mixtures thereof, in a concentration range of from about 0.02 to about 8 w/w % of the solution. Optionally, the solution may contain (iii) at least one additional ingredient chosen from a monocarboxylic acid, a polycarboxylic acid, and mixtures thereof, in a concentration of from about 0.05 to about 4 w/w % of the solution; and (iv) at least one further additional ingredient chosen from benzyl alcohol, an alcohol comprising one to six carbon atoms, and mixtures thereof, in a concentration of from about 0.1 to about 10 w/w % of the solution.

Description

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. provisional application serial no. 60 / 355,753 filed on Feb. 12, 2002 under 35 U.S.C. section 119(e).[0002] The present invention relates to disinfectants and, in particular, it relates to hydrogen peroxide solutions with improved disinfectant and antimicrobial properties.BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION[0003] In the past few years, efforts have been concentrated on developing chemicals that will be highly effective against microorganisms when highly diluted, will be low in toxicity to humans and other animals, and will not injure the environment. Of the known disinfectants and antimicrobials, hydrogen peroxide appears to have exceptional potential, especially in terms of toxicity and injury to the environment, because the decomposition products, water and oxygen, are benign. Also, it tends to have broad spectrum antimicrobial activity. Broad spectrum activity is important in situations where harmful organisms are present but their identi...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

At higher concentrations, the solutions may not be practical or economically viable, may be subject to hazardous goods regulations, and may require special precautions for handling and use.

Heretofore, one of the major drawbacks of hydrogen peroxide, in very low concentrations, is that its antimicrobial action is too slow.

The latter solution is clearly unacceptable from both commercial and economic standpoints.

However, even 6.9 minutes is far too long for many applications.

While the Mannig solution may be sufficient for preserving foods, it is inadequate for short contact time disinfection.

Hydrogen peroxide is a compound which is highly susceptible to decomposition by the presence of dissolved impurities, mostly transition metal cations.

Most if not all peroxygen-based mixtures used for cleaning and disinfection discussed in the prior art either suffer from impracticably long contact times, unfeasibly high hydrogen peroxide concentrations or contain at least one type of phosphorus compound in non-trace quantities.

Although the role of phosphorus in the eutrophication of lakes and rivers due to artificial sources is still a matter of debate, many regions in the world have imposed severe restrictions on the amount of phosphorus that can be discharged into storm and sanitary sewers.

Complex mixtures based on hydrogen peroxide may be unstable, with the hydrogen peroxide concentration diminishing greatly in time due to catalytic decomposition.

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