Detergent composition

Abstract

This invention relates to a cleaning composition comprising: 10 to 30% by weight of octylphenol ethoxylate based on a total of 100% by weight; 0.1 to 5% by weight of 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate; 0.1 to 5% by weight of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer; and the balance being purified water. The cleaning composition according to the invention exhibits excellent virus removal efficacy, removing over 99.99% of coronaviruses within 30 seconds. Simultaneously, a safe cleaning composition is provided, exhibiting selectivity without killing various bacteria and meeting the requirements of low skin allergy. Furthermore, this cleaning composition is suitable for various applications, such as removing coronaviruses, removing grease stains, removing kitchen grime, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning machinery and parts, and removing grease stains from clothing, and demonstrates excellent cleaning power.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application claims the benefit of Korean Patent Application No. 10-2020-0137612, filed with the Korean Intellectual Property Office on October 22, 2020, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

[0002] This invention relates to a cleaning composition, and more particularly to a cleaning composition that can effectively remove coronaviruses. Background Technology

[0003] Coronaviruses (CoV) are RNA viruses that can cause widespread respiratory and digestive system infections in animals, including humans. When observed under a microscope, the virus has prominent crown-like protrusions on its surface, hence the name "corona".

[0004] COVID-19 is an epidemic, also known as "novel coronavirus infection," and is generally referred to as a viral disease caused by variants of coronaviruses.

[0005] Although initially called a respiratory infectious disease of unknown cause, it has been identified as a novel coronavirus, just like SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003 and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) in 2012.

[0006] Viruses are individuals with both living and non-living characteristics. They are essentially simple structures containing nucleic acid (DNA or RNA) genetic material within a protein envelope. Viruses cannot carry out life activities independently, but once they enter a host cell, they can parasitize the host cell's life activities and replicate their genetic material and protein coat to multiply their population, thereby increasing their numbers.

[0007] Coronaviruses belong to the RNA virus family. Compared to DNA viruses, they are more prone to mutation due to their lower genetic stability. Furthermore, mutations can produce highly infectious and deadly variants, allowing them to cross intermediate barriers, such as those between animals and humans. These coronaviruses possess a phospholipid bilayer (i.e., a phospholipid membrane) derived from the RNA-family host.

[0008] Furthermore, when the structure of the coronavirus is observed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), it can be found to consist of a biphospholipid membrane, and the phospholipid membrane contains C 10 To C 18 The structure of a long carbon chain.

[0009] Meanwhile, alcohol-based cleaners, which are currently widely used as cleaning agents for the COVID-19 virus, contain ethanol as the main component to dissolve the viral envelope (phospholipids), thereby exerting a disinfection effect, and are now widely used in South Korea.

[0010] This is because the COVID-19 virus has a lipid bilayer structure, and ethanol dissolves the virus's envelope, which consists of a phospholipid layer and proteins. Even if the virus without an envelope dies from the outside or manages to enter the host, ethanol can prevent the virus from entering the cell and multiplying.

[0011] The novel coronavirus that causes COVID-19 infects human lung cells. The virus must enter the lungs to cause infection. To do this, the coronavirus attempts to adhere to receptors on lung cells and then penetrate the cells. The site where the receptors bind is the spike protein in the coronavirus envelope. When ethanol dissolves and removes the outer layer (i.e., the envelope), the spike protein also disappears, so even if the coronavirus enters the body in this state, it loses its ability to enter cells.

[0012] However, because alcohol-based detergents, such as ethanol, contain additional chemicals for moisturizing, disinfecting, and bleaching the skin, stability is difficult to guarantee if irritation, such as rashes or itching, occurs or persists during use. Furthermore, while alcohol does dissolve the envelope of the coronavirus and kill the virus, it takes time for the virus to die after losing its envelope. Therefore, no matter how evenly hand sanitizer is applied, viruses with undamaged envelopes may still remain. Thus, there is no alternative to handwashing to completely block the aforementioned risk factors.

[0013] For example, Japanese Patent Registration No. 6688929B2, as a prior art containing alcohol, proposes a bactericidal composition containing protamine and / or its salt and ethanol to achieve a high bactericidal effect while fully exerting the virus inactivation effect, wherein the pH is 8.0 to 14.0, and the proportion of ethanol in the bactericidal composition is 30% by mass or more.

[0014] US Patent Publication No. 2011-0287054 discloses a multivalent influenza composition comprising: multiple influenza antigens or antigen pre-formulations, wherein at least one antigen is selected from viral strains associated with disease outbreaks; and an oil-in-water emulsion, wherein the oil-in-water emulsion further comprises an emulsifier, said emulsifier comprising polyoxyethylene sorbitan monooleate, polyoxyethylene sorbitan trioleate, octylphenyl ethoxylate, lecithin, and mixtures thereof.

[0015] However, in order to effectively kill the coronavirus, although there are cleaning agents available, a new type of cleaning agent is still needed that can effectively remove the phospholipid membrane contained in the coronavirus without causing irritation when used on the human body.

[0016] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0017] [Patent Literature]

[0018] (Patent Document 1) Japanese Patent Registration No. 6688929B2

[0019] (Patent Document 2) US Patent Publication No. 2011-0287054 Summary of the Invention

[0020] The problem the invention aims to solve

[0021] The object of the present invention is to provide a skin-low irritant (i.e., hypoallergenic) cleansing composition which selectively includes ingredients in a cleansing composition having a complex structure, such that the composition can bind well to and remove the phospholipid membrane contained in coronaviruses, thereby effectively clearing coronaviruses while retaining various pathogens (bacteria).

[0022] Solution for solving the problem

[0023] The cleaning composition according to the invention may include: based on a total of 100% by weight of the composition, 10 to 30% by weight of octylphenol ethoxylate; 0.1 to 5% by weight of 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate; 0.1 to 5% by weight of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer; and the balance being water.

[0024] The composition may further include lauryl ethoxylate in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight of the total composition.

[0025] A dilution containing less than 0.1% by weight of the cleaning composition according to the invention can achieve a coronavirus removal rate of 99.99% within 30 seconds.

[0026] Furthermore, the cleaning composition according to the invention is characterized in that bacteria are not removed when the coronavirus is cleared.

[0027] The cleaning composition of the present invention is not toxic to the skin.

[0028] The cleaning compositions according to the present invention can be used to remove coronavirus, remove grease stains, remove old kitchen stains, clean bathrooms, clean machinery and equipment and parts, and remove grease stains from clothing.

[0029] The cleaning composition according to the invention preferably maintains a neutral pH of 6.5 to 7.

[0030] The cleaning composition is preferably used by diluting it in water to a concentration of less than 5% by weight.

[0031] In addition, the remaining water contained in the cleaning composition may include ethanol in an amount of less than 20% by weight.

[0032] The effects of the invention

[0033] In this invention, a material with a complex structure, comprising aromatic and branched rather than linear structures, is used as the main component in the cleaning agent composition. This effectively dissolves the phospholipid membrane contained in coronaviruses, resulting in excellent virus removal efficacy, eliminating over 99.99% of coronaviruses within 30 seconds. Simultaneously, it exhibits selectivity in not killing a variety of bacteria, providing a safe cleaning agent composition that is hypoallergenic to the skin.

[0034] This cleaning composition has excellent cleaning power because it can be used for a variety of purposes, such as removing coronaviruses, removing oil stains, removing kitchen grime, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning machinery and parts, and removing oil stains from clothes. Attached Figure Description

[0035] Figure 1 The results show the results of measuring the coronavirus removal rate in a diluted solution containing 0.1% of the cleaning composition of Example 2 according to the present invention.

[0036] Figure 2 The results of a basic cytotoxicity evaluation of the cleaning composition according to Example 2 of the present invention are shown.

[0037] Figures 3 to 6 These are photographs showing the cleaning ability test results and turbidity measurements of solutions when cleaning vegetable oils using various cleaning agent compositions according to embodiments and comparative examples of the present invention.

[0038] Figure 7 These are photographs of solution turbidity tests showing the test results of the animal oil cleaning ability of the various cleaning agent compositions of Example 2 and Comparative Example 1 according to the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0039] The invention will be described in more detail below.

[0040] The terminology used herein is for describing specific implementations and does not limit the invention.

[0041] As used herein, unless the context clearly specifies otherwise, the singular form may include the plural form. Furthermore, as used herein, “comprise” and / or “comprising” means the specific presence of the listed shapes, numbers, steps, actions, components, elements, and / or groups thereof, and does not exclude the presence or addition of one or more other shapes, numbers, actions, components, elements, and / or groups.

[0042] This invention relates to a cleaning composition that can effectively remove viruses, especially coronaviruses.

[0043] The cleaning composition according to the invention may comprise: 10 to 30 wt.% of octylphenol ethoxylate (the number (n) of ethylene oxide contained in the ethoxylate is 2 to 15) based on a total of 100 wt.% of the composition; 0.1 to 5 wt.% of 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate; 0.1 to 5 wt.% of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer; and the balance being water.

[0044] The main component of the cleaning composition of the present invention includes octylphenol ethoxylate, which can be used to remove and inhibit coronaviruses.

[0045] In the octylphenol ethoxylate of the present invention, the octylphenol group is a C8 alkyl group containing an aromatic phenolic group and has a branched structure rather than a straight-chain structure, which allows it to bind well to the hydrophobic portion composed of long carbon chains contained in the phospholipid membrane of coronaviruses. Furthermore, due to the complex branched structure, it is expected to increase hydrophobicity, increase the number of aggregates, and thereby improve the solubility of the coronavirus phospholipid membrane.

[0046] Furthermore, compared to straight-chain structures, branched structures can form structures that are very favorable for dissolving phospholipid bilayers, because the packing density in micelles is reduced due to the repulsive forces between hydrophobic hydrocarbons when forming complex phospholipid bilayer structures and micelles.

[0047] Furthermore, the ethylene oxide moiety can be used to impart hydrophilicity to hydrophobic long carbon chains. Therefore, the "n" representing the amount of ethylene oxide can be 2 to 15, preferably 5 to 10, and it is preferable to use a mixture of two or more materials with different n numbers to appropriately adjust the hydrophilicity.

[0048] If n in the octylphenol ethoxylate is less than 2, the hydrophilicity of this component is insufficient to dissolve the coronavirus phospholipid membrane, and this can lead to the component being confined between the long carbon chains of the coronavirus phospholipid membrane. Furthermore, this is undesirable because it may make formulation preparation difficult. On the other hand, if n exceeds 15, the phospholipid membrane cannot dissolve in the composition due to the excessive ethylene oxide content and overly strong hydrophilicity, which is therefore not preferred.

[0049] The cleaning composition contains 10 to 30 wt.% of this octylphenol ethoxylate; if the content is less than 10 wt.%, it is insufficient to show an effect in removing and inhibiting coronaviruses. If the content exceeds 30 wt.%, it is not preferred because no additional effect is observed.

[0050] Furthermore, preferably, the cleaning composition according to the invention comprises 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate to increase penetration as it enters between the phospholipid membranes of the coronavirus. Since 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate also has a less regular structure in which hydrocarbons are substituted in the side chain, it is contemplated that increased penetration can be achieved by creating gaps between the phospholipid bilayers. The 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate, in which hydrocarbons are substituted in the side chain, is included in an amount of 0.1 to 5 wt.% of the total cleaning composition. If the amount is less than 0.1 wt.%, the desired effect cannot be obtained. Furthermore, if the amount exceeds 5 wt.%, it is not preferred because the additional effect of increased penetration cannot be obtained.

[0051] The ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymer of the present invention is prepared by copolymerizing ethylene oxide and propylene oxide, and can be added during the preparation of detergent compositions to suppress the generation of bubbles. Furthermore, the block copolymer is included in an amount of 0.1 to 5 wt.% of the total detergent composition to effectively remove bubbles.

[0052] In addition to the above-described components, the cleaning composition of the present invention may include a remainder of water. The water is not particularly limited and may include, for example, ordinary tap water, as well as purified water from which all impurities contained in ordinary water, such as dissolved ions, solid particles, microorganisms, and organic matter, have been removed.

[0053] In addition, if desired, the purified water may contain less than 20 wt.% ethanol to reduce the viscosity of the final detergent composition, to remove air bubbles generated during the preparation of the detergent composition, or to improve the storage performance of the detergent composition at low temperatures, such as in winter.

[0054] Furthermore, the cleaning composition according to the invention may also contain lauryl alcohol ethoxylate in an amount of 0.1 to 5 wt.% of the total composition, which acts as an adjuvant to octylphenol ethoxylate to effectively dissolve phospholipid films.

[0055] The cleaning composition according to the invention can be readily prepared by thoroughly mixing the individual components at room temperature (rt), and the prepared cleaning composition has a hydrophilic-lipophilic balance (HLB) value in the range of 12 to 15. Therefore, when used as a cleaning agent for various purposes, it forms suitable micelles in water to enhance the cleaning effect.

[0056] The cleaning compositions according to the invention can be used to clean all kinds of dirt, whether water-based or oil-based, such as removing coronavirus, removing oil stains, removing kitchen grime, cleaning bathrooms, cleaning machinery and parts, and removing oil stains from clothing.

[0057] In particular, the cleaning composition according to the invention can exhibit the effect of removing 99.99% of coronaviruses such as SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome), MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome), and the novel coronavirus within 30 seconds.

[0058] Furthermore, the cleaning composition according to the invention has the characteristic of eliminating coronaviruses without removing pathogens (bacteria). In other words, it can be selective, eliminating only the viruses we want to remove without killing other bacteria that can coexist diversely, whether harmful or harmless.

[0059] Viruses are far more harmful to the human body, always causing illness, while bacteria are independent microorganisms with unique complexity and reproductive functions. Furthermore, bacteria can also be used in human organs; for example, the gut microbiota manages and maintains the pH level of the digestive system. Of course, when there are too many bacteria in the body or when there is an infection with pathogenic bacteria, illness can result. On the other hand, bacteriophages (also known as bactericidal bacteria) can also be used to treat diseases.

[0060] Therefore, from the above perspective, when using the cleaning composition according to the present invention, it can be understood that the target coronavirus is effectively removed and inhibited, while various bacteria present in the microbial system are not removed.

[0061] Furthermore, since the cleaning composition according to the invention is non-toxic to the skin, it can be safely used without other side effects when sprayed on the human body for the prevention and removal of coronavirus or for hand disinfection.

[0062] Furthermore, the cleaning composition according to the invention is characterized by having a neutral pH value of about 6.5 to 7. Therefore, it has the advantage of minimizing damage or deterioration to the material to be cleaned, while also exhibiting excellent cleaning performance.

[0063] Furthermore, the cleaning compositions prepared according to the present invention are suitable for a variety of specific and desired uses by diluting them in water, such as for spraying, disinfection, or cleaning.

[0064] Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described in detail below. The following examples are for illustrative purposes only and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention to these examples. Furthermore, while specific compounds are used in the following examples, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that similar effects can be achieved even with equivalents thereof.

[0065] Examples and Comparative Examples: Preparation of Detergent Compositions

[0066] According to the composition in Table 1 below, each composition was placed in purified water, mixed at 18°C, and stirred thoroughly to prepare each cleaning agent composition. In Table 1 below, Comparative Example 1 is an example where the range of n in the octylphenol ethoxylate, which is the main component of the cleaning agent composition of the present invention, is not within the scope of the present invention; Comparative Examples 2 and 3 are examples where the range of n in the octylphenol ethoxylate, which is the main component of the cleaning agent composition of the present invention, is within the scope of the present invention, but its content ratio is not within the scope of the present invention.

[0067] [Table 1]

[0068]

[0069] Experimental Example 1: Determination of Coronavirus Removal Rate

[0070] To evaluate the coronavirus removal rate (coronavirus inactivation efficacy) of the cleaning composition (Clean V) prepared according to Example 2 above, the following experiment was conducted.

[0071] Culture 1×10⁶ cells per well in a 96-well cell plate. 4 10 Vero cells (monkey kidney epithelial cells). Then, 1×10 3 Up to 5×10 3 After the infectious virus was dispensed into EP tubes, it was mixed with virus-cell culture medium (Gibco DMEM-0% FBS) to make the concentration of the cleaning agent 0.1%, and then the reaction was carried out for 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes respectively.

[0072] After the reaction, the cell culture medium was rapidly frozen with dry ice, and the samples were stored at -80°C. The prepared samples were then serially diluted 10-fold in 96-well U-plates using cell culture medium. Cells cultured in the 96-well plates were washed once with 1x phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and the diluted samples were transferred to the washed cells and reacted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. After the reaction, the previously contained cell culture medium was removed and replaced with fresh cell culture medium containing an appropriate concentration of TPCK trypsin.

[0073] Cell transformation and SARS-CoV-2 virus proliferation were observed under a microscope for 2-3 days. Surviving cells were stained with 10% crystal violet dye on day 3 post-infection. The results are shown below. Figure 1 .

[0074] Next, refer to Figure 1 As a result, cells killed by the virus or by the toxicity of the cleaning agent were not stained and were observed to be transparent, while surviving cells were stained with crystal violet and were therefore observed to be dark purple.

[0075] As a result of sterilizing approximately 1000 SARS-CoV-2 viruses in a cell culture medium with a 0.1% detergent concentration for 30 seconds, the visual inhibition effect was approximately 100 times better than that of the same virus infection group. It can be seen that under all sterilization time conditions, such as 30 seconds, 1 minute, 5 minutes and 10 minutes, the visual inhibition effect was approximately 100 times better than that of the same virus infection group.

[0076] In addition to the cytotoxicity caused by the cleaning agent as shown in Experimental Example 2 below, the virus was found to be inactivated under all dilution conditions, including high concentrations where approximately 1,000 to 5,000 SARS-CoV-2 viruses could grow. Therefore, the coronavirus inactivation efficacy of the cleaning composition according to the invention is confirmed to be above 99%. In other words, compared to the control, the cleaning composition (sample name: Clean V) prepared according to Example 2 of the invention exhibited a 99.99% coronavirus (COVID-19) removal rate within 30 seconds to 10 minutes, even when used at a dilution of 0.1%. In other words, it can be confirmed that an effective coronavirus removal rate of 99.99% was achieved in an extremely short time of 30 seconds.

[0077] Experimental Example 2: Cytotoxicity Evaluation of Cleaning Agent Compositions

[0078] To evaluate the cytotoxicity of the cleaning composition (Clean V) according to Example 2, the following experiments were conducted.

[0079] 1 x 10⁶ cells per well in a 96-well cell plate 4 Vero cells (monkey kidney epithelial cells). Cleaning agents and cell culture medium were mixed under the same conditions as in Experiment 1 above. The prepared sample was serially diluted 2-fold in 96-well U-plates using cell culture medium. Cells cultured in the 96-well cell plates were washed once with 1x phosphate-buffered saline (PBS), and serially diluted samples were transferred to the washed cells and reacted for 1 hour and 30 minutes. After the reaction, the previously contained cell culture medium was removed and replaced with fresh cell culture medium containing an appropriate concentration of TPCK trypsin. Cell transformation was then observed visually under a microscope for 2–3 days. On day 3 post-treatment, surviving cells were stained with 10% crystal violet dye, and the results are shown below. Figure 2 .

[0080] Next, as Figure 2 As shown, cytotoxicity was observed at concentrations up to 0.025% of the detergent as a result of applying mixed cell culture medium containing detergent at concentrations of 0.1% to 0.006% to uninfected cells.

[0081] Experiment Example 3: Cleaning Ability Test of Vegetable Oil

[0082] A comparative experiment was conducted to examine the cleaning ability of the vegetable oils in the cleaning agent compositions according to the above examples and comparative examples. Vegetable oil (perilla oil) was applied in the same amount and size to SUS surfaces of predetermined dimensions, and then washed with water at 70°C. Subsequently, the cleaning agent compositions were diluted with water to prepare solutions of 4% and 20% concentrations, respectively. The SUS surfaces were then washed again with the diluted solutions at 60°C and dried. Then, 50 ml of methanol was added to the surface of the SUS to dissolve the remaining vegetable oil, and the methanol was collected. Further, an equal volume of 50 ml of water was added, and the surface and solution states for each test were visually observed. The results are shown below. Figures 3 to 4 (Surface) and Figures 5 to 6 (Solution).

[0083] Next, refer to Figure 3 and 4 The reaction rates of the compositions according to the embodiments of the present invention and the compositions according to the comparative examples are similar to each other; however, it was observed that when the compositions according to the embodiments were used to clean surfaces treated with vegetable oil, the content of residual vegetable oil was low.

[0084] In addition, refer to Figures 5 to 6 When Comparative Example 1, in which the amount of ethylene oxide in the octylphenol ethoxylate exceeded the scope of the present invention, was used, it was observed that the vegetable oil was not completely washed away but separated from the mixture of methanol and water, and thus, many floating objects were present on top.

[0085] Furthermore, in Comparative Example 2, where the amount of ethylene oxide in the octylphenol ethoxylate was the same but its content was outside the scope of this invention, the vegetable oil was not completely washed away and remained, compared to Example 3 which had the same amount of ethylene oxide. Therefore, it was observed that the vegetable oil remained in the mixture of methanol and water.

[0086] Experiment Example 4: Cleaning Ability Test of Animal Oil

[0087] In Experiment 4, the cleaning ability was tested using the same method as in Experiment 3, which used vegetable oil, except that animal fat (pork fat) was used instead of vegetable oil. The cleaning agent compositions according to Example 2 and Comparative Example 4 were diluted in water to a concentration of 20% and used in the experiment. The results are shown in... Figure 7 .

[0088] Next, as Figure 7 As shown, compared to the cleaning agent composition of Example 2 according to the present invention, the composition of Comparative Example 4, which uses a straight-chain structure instead of the octylphenol ethoxylate having aromatic and branched structures in the present invention, shows that the animal oil was not completely washed away but separated from the mixture of methanol and water. Therefore, the solution was observed to be very turbid.

[0089] These results confirm that cleaning ability varies significantly depending on the structural characteristics of the components used in the cleaning agent composition. It is understood that the cleaning ability is superior when both branched and straight-chain structures are present, as in the present invention, compared to cases with only straight-chain structures.

Claims

1. A cleaning composition comprising: Based on a total of 100% by weight of the composition, 10 to 30% by weight of octylphenol ethoxylate, wherein the number n of ethylene oxide contained in the octylphenol ethoxylate is 2 to 15; 0.1 to 5% by weight of 2-ethylhexanol ethoxylate; 0.1 to 5% by weight of ethylene oxide-propylene oxide block copolymers; and The remaining water; The pH of the cleaning composition is 6.5 to 7.

0.

2. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, further comprising lauryl ethoxylate in an amount of 0.1 to 5% by weight of the total composition.

3. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein a dilution containing less than 0.1% by weight of the cleaning composition has a coronavirus removal rate of 99.99% within 30 seconds.

4. The cleaning composition of claim 3, wherein bacteria are not removed when the coronavirus is cleared.

5. The cleaning composition according to claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition is not dermatogenic.

6. The cleaning composition of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition is used to remove coronavirus, remove grease, remove old kitchen stains, clean bathrooms, and clean machinery and parts.

7. The cleaning composition of claim 1, wherein the cleaning composition is used by diluting it in water to achieve a content of less than 5% by weight.

8. The cleaning composition of claim 1, wherein the balance of water further comprises ethanol in an amount of less than 20% by weight.

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