Biofilm remover composition and method

Abstract

To provide biofilm remover compositions and removal methods having high biofilm removal effect.SOLUTION: A biofilm remover composition includes the following component (A) of 0.5 mass% or more and the following component (B) of 0.25 mass% or more. The component (A) is an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or more and the component (B) is an anionic surfactant.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a biofilm removal composition and a biofilm removal method. [Background technology]

[0002] Biofilms, also known as biofilms or slime, generally refer to structures formed by microorganisms in aqueous systems that attach to and grow on the surface of a substance, producing polymeric substances such as polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids from within the microbial cells. When a biofilm is formed, hazards caused by the microorganisms can occur, causing problems in various industrial fields.

[0003] In the medical field, it is known that biofilms form on human skin, especially at wound sites such as bedsores. Biofilm formation can delay wound healing, allow microorganisms to enter the bloodstream, and cause sepsis and pneumonia, leading to death in the worst cases. These problems have been studied for a long time. Therefore, a drug capable of removing biofilms formed on the skin is desired.

[0004] Conventionally, systems using aqueous media, such as cooling systems for factory equipment and buildings using water-cooled cooling towers, and cooling pools, are used. Microbial contamination of the water used in such systems is a problem. For example, in cooling systems using water-cooled cooling towers, microorganisms contaminated in the cooling water form biofilms in the piping, particularly in heat exchangers. Biofilms formed in heat exchangers reduce the efficiency of heat exchange and increase the power consumption of the cooling system. Periodic water replacement and cleaning are necessary to prevent biofilm formation, but these increase the maintenance costs of the system. In these cases, it is desirable to remove biofilms.

[0005] Furthermore, inside automatic washing machines that use water-based washing machines, such as automatic dishwashers and laundry washers, there is always an abundance of dirt that serves as a nutrient source for bacteria, and the machine is often filled with moisture and humidity, which are essential for bacterial growth, making it easy to imagine that this is favorable for the formation of biofilms. In fact, biofilm formation inside the machine can cause slime formation and bacterial adhesion, which can lead to problems in terms of cleaning and hygiene, such as bacteria adhering to and falling off the items being washed. Therefore, in these cases as well, removal of biofilms is desirable.

[0006] Known technologies for removing biofilms include those disclosed in Patent Documents 1 to 5. Patent Document 1 discloses a biofilm remover composition containing an internal olefin sulfonate having a specific carbon number and a nuclease. Patent Document 2 discloses a biofilm remover for human use containing an internal olefin sulfonate. Patent Document 3 discloses a biofilm remover containing a potassium salt of an unsaturated fatty acid having a specific carbon number. Patent Document 4 discloses a biofilm remover composition comprising an α-olefin sulfonate. Patent Document 5 describes a biofilm treatment agent containing an aromatic monool and / or anthranilic acids, a microbial surfactant, and an arbitrary synthetic surfactant. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0007] [Patent Document 1] International Patent Publication No. 2021-005897 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2015-164904 [Patent Document 3] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-185036 [Patent Document 4] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2012-72265 [Patent Document 5] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2021-127389 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] Although Patent Documents 1 to 5 disclose biofilm removing compositions, a higher biofilm removing effect is desired. An object of the present invention is to provide a biofilm removing composition or a biofilm removing method that has a higher biofilm removing effect. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] As a result of intensive research into the above-mentioned problems, the inventors discovered a biofilm removal composition containing 0.5 mass% or more of an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or more and 0.25 mass% or more of an anionic surfactant, and thus completed the present invention.

[0010] The reason why the biofilm removal effect is enhanced in the present invention is not clear and is not limited, but it is presumed that the component (A) of the present invention adheres to the biofilm attached to the target object, thereby modifying the biofilm, and the anionic surfactant, component (B) of the present invention, can more easily act on the biofilm, making it easier for the biofilm to detach from the target object.

[0011] The present invention relates to a biofilm removing composition containing 0.5 mass % or more of the following component (A) and 0.25 mass % or more of the following component (B): Component (A): an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or more (B) Component: Anionic surfactant

[0012] The present invention also relates to a method for removing a biofilm, which comprises contacting a biofilm attached to an object with a biofilm-removing composition containing 0.5% by mass or more of the following component (A) and 0.25% by mass or more of the following component (B): Component (A): an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or more (B) Component: Anionic surfactant [Effects of the Invention]

[0013] The biofilm remover composition of the present invention can effectively remove biofilms attached to objects. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0014] In the present invention, removing a biofilm means reducing the amount of biofilm that has already formed and adhered to an object.

[0015] [Biofilm remover composition] The biofilm removing composition of the present invention contains 0.5 mass % or more of the following component (A) and 0.25 mass % or more of the following component (B). Component (A): an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or more (B) Component: Anionic surfactant

[0016] [Component (A)] Component (A) is an organic solvent with a LogP of 0.1 or greater. Conventionally, only certain anionic surfactants, such as olefin sulfonates and unsaturated fatty acid potassium salts, have been recognized to have biofilm removal effects. However, it has been discovered that the use of component (A) of the present invention in combination increases the variety of anionic surfactants capable of removing biofilms. Increasing the variety of usable anionic surfactants is advantageous in that it allows selection of an anionic surfactant that can be applied depending on the technical field, thereby broadening the range of applicable technical fields. Furthermore, using component (A) of the present invention in combination with an anionic surfactant is advantageous in that it further enhances the biofilm removal effect of the anionic surfactant. Furthermore, component (A) is preferably an organic solvent having an aromatic hydrocarbon group in the molecule.

[0017] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect of component (B), which will be described later, component (A) is preferably an organic solvent having a hydroxyl group with a LogP of 0.1 or more. In the present invention, LogP is a calculated value calculated using ChemProperty in ChemBioDraw ver. 20.1.1 by PerkinElmer. Note that a larger LogP value indicates higher hydrophobicity.

[0018] From the viewpoint of expanding the variety of anionic surfactants, which are component (B) having a biofilm removal effect, or from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect by using component (A) in combination with component (B), component (A) is an organic solvent, particularly an organic solvent having a hydroxyl group, having a LogP of 0.1 or more, preferably 0.2 or more, more preferably 0.3 or more, even more preferably 0.5 or more, even more preferably 0.7 or more, preferably 0.8 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, even more preferably 1.2 or more, even more preferably 1.3 or more, even more preferably 1.5 or more, even more preferably 1.6 or more, even more preferably 1.8 or more, even more preferably 2.0 or more, even more preferably 2.2 or more, and preferably 5.0 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and even more preferably 3.0 or less.

[0019] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removing effect when used in combination with component (B), component (A) is preferably one or more organic solvents selected from the following components (A1) to (A4). (A1) component: monohydric alcohol having 2 to 10 carbon atoms (A2) component: an alcohol having 2 to 12 carbon atoms and a valence of 2 to 12; Component (A3): An organic solvent having a hydrocarbon group, an ether group, and a hydroxyl group with 1 to 8 carbon atoms (however, the hydrocarbon group does not include aromatic groups). Component (A4): an organic solvent having an aromatic group, an ether group, and a hydroxyl group, which may be partially substituted

[0020] Specific examples of components (A1) to (A4) are shown below. The numbers in parentheses are the calculated values ​​(LogP) of each component calculated using ChemProperty in ChemBioDraw Ver. 20.1.1 from Perkin Elmer.

[0021] The monohydric alcohol having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, which is the component (A1), is, for example, a monohydric aliphatic alcohol having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, and having a LogP of 0.1 or more, such as one or more alcohols selected from 1-propanol (0.55), 2-propanol (0.38), pentanol (1.39), hexanol (1.80), and octanol (2.64).

[0022] Examples of the component (A1-2) include one or more aromatic alcohols selected from benzyl alcohol (1.46) and phenylethanol (1.74), which are monohydric alcohols having an aromatic group, and which have a LogP of 0.6 or greater.

[0023] An example of the alcohol having 2 to 12 carbon atoms and a valence of 2 to 12, which is the component (A2), is hexylene glycol (0.17).

[0024] Examples of the organic solvent (A3) having a hydrocarbon group, an ether group, and a hydroxyl group and having 1 to 8 carbon atoms include diethylene glycol diethyl ether (0.45) and diethylene glycol monobutyl ether (0.66).

[0025] Examples of the organic solvent having an aromatic group, an ether group, and a hydroxyl group, which may be partially substituted, as component (A4), include 2-phenoxyethanol (1.39), diethylene glycol monophenyl ether (1.23), triethylene glycol monophenyl ether (1.08), 2-benzyloxyethanol (1.3), and diethylene glycol monobenzyl ether (1.15).

[0026] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect of the component (B) described below or from the viewpoint of expanding the variety of anionic surfactants having a biofilm removal effect, the component (A) is preferably an organic solvent having a hydroxyl group selected from the component (A1), the component (A2), and the component (A3), and having a LogP of 0.2 to 3.0. From the same viewpoint, the LogP of the organic solvent having a hydroxyl group selected from the component (A1), the component (A2), and the component (A3) is preferably 0.8 or more, more preferably 1.0 or more, even more preferably 1.2 or more, still more preferably 1.3 or more, still more preferably 1.5 or more, still more preferably 1.6 or more, still more preferably 1.8 or more, still more preferably 2.0 or more, still more preferably 2.2 or more, and preferably 5.0 or less, more preferably 4.0 or less, and still more preferably 3.0 or less.

[0027] In the present invention, multiple types of component (A) can be used. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect of component (B), which will be described later, or from the viewpoint of further expanding the types of anionic surfactants having a biofilm removal effect, the content of component (A) having a LogP of 0.8 or more is preferably 20% by mass or more of all components (A), more preferably 30% by mass or more, even more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 50% by mass or more, even more preferably 60% by mass or more, even more preferably 70% by mass or more, even more preferably 80% by mass or more, even more preferably 90% by mass or more, and even more preferably 100% by mass or less, and may even be 100% by mass.

[0028] [(B) component] Component (B) is an anionic surfactant. The anionic surfactant, component (B), has the effect of removing biofilms attached to an object.

[0029] As the component (B), from the viewpoint of effectively removing a biofilm attached to an object, one or more anionic surfactants selected from the following components (B1) to (B4) are preferred.

[0030] Component (B1): Alkyl or alkenyl sulfate ester salt Component (B2): Polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether sulfate or polyoxyalkylene alkenyl ether sulfate Component (B3): an anionic surfactant having a sulfonate group (excluding component (A)) (B4) Component: fatty acid or its salt

[0031] Examples of component (B1) include, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to a target object when used in combination with the aforementioned component (A), one or more anionic surfactants selected from alkyl sulfate ester salts in which the alkyl group has from 10 to 18 carbon atoms, and alkenyl sulfate ester salts in which the alkenyl group has from 10 to 18 carbon atoms. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to a target object when used in combination with the aforementioned component (A), component (B1) is preferably one or more anionic surfactants selected from alkyl sulfate ester salts in which the alkyl group has from 12 to 16 carbon atoms, and more preferably one or more anionic surfactants selected from sodium alkyl sulfate esters in which the alkyl group has from 12 to 14 carbon atoms.

[0032] As the (B2) component, for example, a sulfate ester represented by the following general formula (B2-1) or a salt thereof is preferred, from the viewpoint that the effect of removing biofilms attached to the target object is further enhanced when used in combination with the above-mentioned (A) component.

[0033] R1-O-[(PO) m / (EO) n ]-SO3M (B2-1) [In formula (B2-1), R1 represents an alkyl or alkenyl group having 8 to 22 carbon atoms, the carbon atom bonded to the oxygen atom is the first carbon atom, PO represents a propyleneoxy group, EO represents an ethyleneoxy group, EO and PO may be bonded in a block or random manner, / represents the symbol indicating that the bonding order of PO and EO is irrelevant, m and n represent the average number of moles added, m is 0 to 5 and n is 0 to 16, and m and n are not simultaneously 0, and M represents a hydrogen atom, an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal (1 / 2 atom), ammonium, or an organic ammonium.]

[0034] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects when used in combination with the component (A), R1 preferably has 10 or more carbon atoms, more preferably 12 or more carbon atoms, and from the same viewpoint, preferably has 16 or less, more preferably 14 or less. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects when used in combination with the component (A), the biofilm remover composition of the present invention preferably contains 40 mass% or more of the (B2) component in which R1 is an alkyl or alkenyl group having from 12 to 14 carbon atoms, more preferably 50 mass% or more, even more preferably 60 mass% or more, still more preferably 80 mass% or more, and may even be 100 mass%.

[0035] From the viewpoint that the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects is further enhanced when used in combination with the aforementioned component (A), the ratio of m to n, m / n, is preferably 0.1 or more and 10 or less. From the viewpoint that the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects is further enhanced when used in combination with the aforementioned component (A), m / n is more preferably 0.2 or more, even more preferably 0.4 or more, even more preferably 0.6 or more, and from the same viewpoint, more preferably 8 or less, even more preferably 6 or less, and even more preferably 4 or less.

[0036] The anionic surfactant having a sulfonate group, which is the component (B3), refers to an anionic surfactant having a sulfonate salt as the hydrophilic group.

[0037] More specific examples of component (B3) include one or more anionic surfactants selected from alkylbenzenesulfonates having an alkyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms, alkenylbenzenesulfonates having an alkenyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms, alkanesulfonates having an alkyl group with 10 to 18 carbon atoms, α-olefinsulfonates having an α-olefin moiety with 10 to 18 carbon atoms, α-sulfofatty acid salts having a fatty acid moiety with 10 to 18 carbon atoms, α-sulfofatty acid lower alkyl ester salts having a fatty acid moiety with 10 to 18 carbon atoms and an ester moiety with 1 to 5 carbon atoms, and internal olefinsulfonates having 12 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0038] From the viewpoint that the effect of removing biofilms attached to a target object can be further enhanced by using the component (A) in combination with the component (B3), the component (B3) is preferably one or more anionic surfactants selected from alkanesulfonates having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl group, α-olefinsulfonates having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the α-olefin moiety, α-sulfofatty acid salts having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid moiety, α-sulfofatty acid lower alkyl ester salts having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid moiety and from 1 to 5 carbon atoms in the ester moiety, and internal olefinsulfonates having from 12 to 20 carbon atoms, more preferably one or more anionic surfactants selected from α-sulfofatty acid lower alkyl ester salts having from 10 to 18 carbon atoms in the fatty acid moiety and from 1 to 5 carbon atoms in the ester moiety, and internal olefinsulfonates having from 14 to 20 carbon atoms, and even more preferably internal olefinsulfonates having from 14 to 18 carbon atoms.

[0039] In the present invention, the internal olefin sulfonate is a sulfonate obtained by sulfonating, neutralizing, and hydrolyzing a raw material internal olefin. The internal olefin is an olefin having a carbon-carbon double bond (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a double bond) within the carbon chain. The internal olefin can be obtained by heating and stirring a higher alcohol having 14 to 20 carbon atoms in the presence of an acid catalyst for approximately 3 to 24 hours. The α-olefin differs from the internal olefin in that the double bond is at the 1-position, i.e., at the terminal.

[0040] When an internal olefin is sulfonated, β-sultone is quantitatively produced, and a portion of the β-sultone is converted to γ-sultone and olefin sulfonic acid, which are further converted to hydroxyalkanesulfonate and olefin sulfonate in the neutralization and hydrolysis steps (e.g., J. Am. Oil Chem. Soc. 69, 39 (1992)). The hydroxy group of the hydroxyalkanesulfonate obtained here is located within the carbon chain, and the double bond of the olefin sulfonate is located within the olefin chain. Examples (B3a) of the component (B3) of the present invention are these hydroxyalkanesulfonates, olefin sulfonates, and mixtures containing them, which have a carbon number of 16 or more and 22 or less, and in which the sulfonic acid group is located at a position other than position 1 of the carbon chain.

[0041] The product obtained by sulfonating an internal olefin may contain a trace amount of olefin sulfonate in which the sulfonic acid group is located at the first position of the carbon chain, such as hydroxyalkane sulfonate having a sulfonate at the end of the carbon chain or olefin sulfonate having a sulfonate at the end of the carbon chain.

[0042] In the present invention, the amount of olefin sulfonate in which the sulfonic acid group is at position 1 of the carbon chain (hereinafter referred to as component B3b) is limited. In the present invention, the content of component B3b in the composition is 20% by mass or less, preferably 10% by mass or less, more preferably 5% by mass or less, and even more preferably 3% by mass or less, of the total of components B3a and B3b, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects when used in combination with the aforementioned component (A). Furthermore, the content of component B3b in the composition can be 0% by mass or more, or even 0% by mass, of the total of components B3a and B3b.

[0043] As described above, the reaction product obtained by sulfonation of an olefin usually contains a hydroxyalkanesulfonate salt having no double bond and an olefinsulfonate salt having a double bond. In the present invention, the term "olefinsulfonate" is intended to include a hydroxyalkanesulfonate salt having no double bond. Therefore, the term "total olefinsulfonates" as used herein refers to both olefinsulfonates having a double bond (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "olefins") and hydroxyalkanesulfonates having no double bond (hereinafter sometimes referred to as "hydroxyls").

[0044] Further, the olefin sulfonates (olefin and hydroxyl forms) include olefin sulfonates in which the sulfonic acid group is located at a position other than the 1st position on the carbon chain, and olefin sulfonates in which the sulfonic acid group is located at the 1st position on the carbon chain (component B3b).

[0045] The olefin sulfonate salt of component B3b, the content of which is limited in the present invention, in which the sulfonic acid group is located at position 1 of the carbon chain, is a compound roughly represented by the following formula: Component B3a can be expressed in the following formula as a compound in which the sulfonic acid group is bonded to a carbon atom other than position 1 of the carbon chain.

[0046] [ka] (In the formula, R is an alkyl group, n is an integer of 0 or more, preferably 1 or more, and M is a counter ion.)

[0047] Component A has a carbon number of 14 to 20, preferably 16 to 18, from the viewpoint that use in combination with the above-mentioned component (A) further enhances the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects.

[0048] The biofilm remover composition of the present invention contains, as component B3a, an internal olefin sulfonate having 16 carbon atoms and in which a sulfonic acid group is present at a position other than the first position of the carbon chain (hereinafter referred to as C 16 internal olefin sulfonates), and internal olefin sulfonates with 18 carbon atoms in which the sulfonic acid group is present at a position other than the first position of the carbon chain (hereinafter referred to as C 18 It is preferable that the polymer contains an internal olefin sulfonate selected from C 16 It is more preferable that the component B3a contains an internal olefin sulfonate. 16 Internal olefin sulfonate and C 18 When both internal olefin sulfonate and C are contained, from the viewpoint of foaming property, 16 Internal olefin sulfonate / C 18 The mass ratio of the internal olefin sulfonate is preferably 0.1 or more, more preferably 1 or more, more preferably 2 or more, more preferably 3 or more, and is preferably 100 or less, more preferably 10 or less.

[0049] In the biofilm remover composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of biofilm removing ability, the proportion of olefin sulfonates having a carbon number of 16 in all olefin sulfonates is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 60% by mass or more, and even more preferably 80% by mass or more, and is preferably 100% by mass or less, and may even be 100% by mass. Here, the total olefin sulfonates can refer to those having a carbon number of 12 or more and 22 or less.

[0050] Furthermore, in the biofilm remover composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of biofilm removal ability, C 16 The proportion of internal olefin sulfonates is preferably 20% by mass or more, more preferably 40% by mass or more, even more preferably 60% by mass or more, and still more preferably 80% by mass or more, and is preferably 100% by mass or less, and may be 100% by mass or less. Here, the total olefin sulfonates may refer to those having a carbon number of 12 or more and 22 or less.

[0051] The fatty acid or salt thereof serving as component (B4) is preferably a fatty acid or salt thereof having 10 to 20 carbon atoms, from the viewpoint of enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects when used in combination with the component (A).The fatty acid or salt thereof having 12 to 18 carbon atoms is more preferably component (B4), from the viewpoint of enhancing the effect of removing biofilms attached to objects when used in combination with the component (A).

[0052] The salts of the anionic surfactants (B1) to (B4) are preferably alkali metal salts, more preferably sodium salts or potassium salts, and even more preferably sodium salts. In the present invention, the amount of component (B) is the amount calculated as the counter ion converted into a sodium salt.

[0053] In the present invention, olefin sulfonates other than these may be contained as long as the requirements of components B3a and B3b are met, provided that the proportion of component B3a in all olefin sulfonates is preferably 85% by mass or more, more preferably 95% by mass or more, and is preferably 100% by mass or less, and may be 100% by mass or less.

[0054] Counter ions of the internal olefin sulfonate salt of component B3a and other olefin sulfonates include alkali metal salts, ammonium salts, alkanolamine salts, etc., but from the viewpoint of biofilm removal ability, alkali metal salts are preferred, and among these, sodium salts and / or potassium salts are even more preferred.

[0055] [Biofilm removing composition] The biofilm removing composition of the present invention contains component (A) and component (B). From the viewpoint of biofilm removing effect, the content of component (A) in the biofilm removing composition of the present invention is 0.5 mass% or more.

[0056] From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect, the biofilm remover composition of the present invention contains component (A) in an amount of preferably 0.6% by mass or more, more preferably 0.7% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.8% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 1.2% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1.4% by mass or more. It further preferably contains 1.6% by mass or more, and even more preferably 1.8% by mass or more. From the same viewpoint, it contains component (A) in an amount of preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 10% by mass or less, and even more preferably 5% by mass or less.

[0057] The content of component (B) in the biofilm remover composition of the present invention is 0.25% by mass or more from the viewpoint of biofilm removal effect. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect, the biofilm remover composition of the present invention contains component (B) in an amount of preferably 0.3% by mass or more, more preferably 0.4% by mass or more, even more preferably 0.5% by mass or more, even more preferably 1% by mass or more, even more preferably 2% by mass or more, even more preferably 4% by mass or more, and even more preferably 5% by mass or more. From the same viewpoint, the content of component (B) is preferably 50% by mass or less, more preferably 40% by mass or less, even more preferably 30% by mass or less, even more preferably 20% by mass or less, and even more preferably 10% by mass or less.

[0058] In the biofilm remover composition of the present invention, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect by the cooperative action of component (A) and component (B) on biofilms, the ratio of the content of component (B) to the content of component (A), that is, component (B) / component (A), is preferably 0.1 or more by mass, more preferably 0.2 or more, even more preferably 0.3 or more, even more preferably 0.5 or more, even more preferably 1 or more, even more preferably 2 or more, even more preferably 2.1 or more, even more preferably 2.5 or more, and from the same viewpoint, even more preferably 10 or less, even more preferably 8 or less, even more preferably 7 or less, even more preferably 6 or less, and even more preferably 5 or less.

[0059] The biofilm remover composition of the present invention preferably contains water. From the viewpoint of enhancing the biofilm removal effect by the cooperative action of component (A) and component (B) on the biofilm, the content of water in the biofilm remover composition of the present invention is preferably 4% by mass or more, more preferably 5% by mass or more, and 99.25% by mass or less, preferably 90% by mass or less, and even more preferably 80% by mass or less.

[0060] The pH (25°C) of the biofilm removing composition of the present invention is, from the viewpoint of biofilm removal effect, preferably 2 or more, more preferably 3 or more, more preferably 4 or more, more preferably 5 or more, and more preferably 6 or more, and from the same viewpoint, preferably 10 or less, more preferably 9 or less, even more preferably 8.5 or less, and even more preferably 8.0 or less. The pH can be measured by the method described below.

[0061] [Method for measuring pH (25℃)] A pH measurement combination electrode (HORIBA glass ground sleeve type) is connected to a pH meter (HORIBA pH / ion meter F-23) and the power is turned on. A saturated potassium chloride aqueous solution (3.33 mol / L) is used as the pH electrode internal solution. Next, 100 mL of pH 4.01 standard solution (phthalate standard solution), pH 6.86 (neutral phosphate standard solution), and pH 9.18 standard solution (borate standard solution) are each filled into 100 mL beakers and immersed in a thermostatic bath at 25°C for 30 minutes. The pH measurement electrode is immersed in the thermostatically adjusted standard solutions for 3 minutes, and calibration is performed in the following order: pH 6.86 → pH 9.18 → pH 4.01. The sample (processing medium) to be measured is adjusted to 25°C, and the pH meter electrode is immersed in the sample. The pH is measured after 1 minute.

[0062] When the biofilm remover composition of the present invention is to be applied to a biofilm, it is usually used in the form of a liquid such as an aqueous solution, an aqueous dispersion, etc. In this case, the biofilm remover composition of the present invention can be used as is without diluting it with water or the like.

[0063] The biofilm removing composition of the present invention can contain the following components (c1) to (c9) as optional components ((component C)) other than the component (A) and the component (B). (c1) Anti-redeposition agents and dispersants such as polyacrylic acid, polymaleic acid, and carboxymethyl cellulose (c2) Bleaching agents such as hydrogen peroxide, sodium percarbonate, or sodium perborate (c3) Bleaching activators such as tetraacetylethylenediamine and bleaching activators represented by general formulas (I-2) to (I-7) of JP-A-6-316700 (c4) one or more enzymes selected from cellulase, amylase, pectinase, protease, and lipase (c5) Fluorescent dyes, for example, fluorescent dyes commercially available as Tinopal CBS (trade name, manufactured by Ciba Specialty Chemicals) and Whitex SA (trade name, manufactured by Sumitomo Chemical Co., Ltd.) (c6) Antioxidants such as butylhydroxytoluene, distyrenated cresol, sodium sulfite, and sodium hydrogen sulfite (c7) Antifoaming agents such as pigments, fragrances, and silicones (c8) Surfactants other than component (B) (c9) Antibacterial compounds having an aromatic ring

[0064] Component (c9) may be, for example, a nonionic antibacterial compound having an aromatic ring. Regarding component (c9), the antibacterial compound may be, for example, a compound that shows a zone of inhibition when an antibacterial test is performed according to JIS L 1902 "Antibacterial Test Methods for Textile Products" using a cotton cloth #2003 with 1% by mass of the compound uniformly applied thereto.

[0065] Examples of component (c9) include antibacterial compounds having a diphenyl ether skeleton, antibacterial compounds selected from phenol derivatives, and antibacterial compounds selected from benzoic acid derivatives. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect, antibacterial compounds having a diphenyl ether skeleton, for example, antibacterial compounds containing a halogen atom and having a diphenyl ether skeleton, are preferred. Specific compounds include diclosan, triclosan, benzoic acid, paraben, etc., and from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect, diclosan and triclosan are preferred, and from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect, diclosan is more preferred.

[0066] When the biofilm remover composition of the present invention contains component (c9), the biofilm remover composition preferably contains component (c9) in an amount of at least 0.01 mass%, more preferably at least 0.1 mass%, preferably at most 2 mass%, more preferably at most 1 mass%, and even more preferably at most 0.5 mass%, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect.

[0067] [How to remove biofilm] The biofilm removal method of the present invention is a method of contacting a biofilm attached to an object with a biofilm remover composition containing 0.5% by mass or more of component (A) and 0.25% by mass or more of component (B), and is capable of removing the biofilm attached to the object. The method for removing a biofilm includes the following step 1.

[0068] [Process 1] A step of contacting the biofilm removing composition of the present invention with a biofilm attached to an object.

[0069] In step 1, the biofilm remover composition can be brought into contact with biofilms attached to an object by, for example, immersion, application, or spraying. The time for which the biofilm remover composition is left in contact with the biofilm varies depending on the amount of attached biofilm, the concentration of the biofilm remover composition, the temperature at the time of contact, and the presence or absence of physical force, but is typically in the range of several seconds to several hours. From the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect by the cooperative action of component (A) and component (B) on the biofilm, the time is preferably 10 seconds or longer, more preferably 1 minute or longer, even more preferably 5 minutes or longer, and preferably 1 hour or shorter, more preferably 30 minutes or shorter, and more preferably 10 minutes or shorter.

[0070] The temperature of the biofilm remover composition that is brought into contact with the biofilm does not need to be strictly controlled, but from the viewpoint of enhancing the biofilm removal effect by having the components (A) and (B) act cooperatively on the biofilm, the temperature is preferably 0°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, even more preferably 20°C or higher, and is preferably 45°C or lower, more preferably 40°C or lower, even more preferably 35°C or lower.

[0071] In the biofilm removal method of the present invention, it is preferable to carry out the following step 2 after step 1, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect by having component (A) and component (B) act cooperatively on the biofilm.

[0072] [Process 2] A step following step 1, in which water is brought into contact with the object to which the biofilm and the biofilm remover composition are attached.

[0073] By carrying out step 2, component (A) and component (B) can cooperate to more effectively remove the biofilm that has acted on the target object, which is preferable. The water used in step 2 is not particularly limited, but ion-exchanged water, tap water, distilled water, well water, etc. can be used.

[0074] The temperature of the water used in step 2 does not need to be strictly controlled, but from the viewpoint of making it easier to remove the biofilm formed by the cooperative action of components (A) and (B) from the target object, it is preferably 0°C or higher, more preferably 10°C or higher, even more preferably 20°C or higher, and preferably 45°C or lower, more preferably 40°C or lower, even more preferably 35°C or lower.

[0075] The amount of water used in step 2 is not particularly limited, but from the viewpoint of making it easier to remove a biofilm formed by the cooperative action of components (A) and (B) from the target object, the amount of water used is preferably 0.5 times or more, more preferably 1 time or more, even more preferably 2 times or more, even more preferably 3 times or more, and even more preferably 4 times or more the mass of the biofilm remover used in step 1. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of resource conservation, the amount of water used in step 2 is preferably 10,000 times or less, more preferably 8,000 times or less, even more preferably 6,000 times or less, and even more preferably 3,000 times or less the mass of the biofilm remover used in step 1.

[0076] In step 2, the step of bringing water into contact with the object to which the biofilm and biofilm remover composition are attached is preferably carried out at least once and at most five times. From the viewpoint of making it easier to remove the biofilm formed by the cooperative action of component (A) and component (B) from the object, the step is preferably carried out at least once, more preferably at least twice, and preferably at most four times, and more preferably at most three times.

[0077] In step 2, the time for which water is brought into contact with the object to which the biofilm and biofilm remover composition are attached is preferably 10 seconds or more, more preferably 1 minute or more, even more preferably 5 minutes or more, from the viewpoint of further enhancing the biofilm removal effect by having the (A) component and the (B) component act cooperatively on the biofilm, and is preferably 1 hour or less, more preferably 30 minutes or less, and more preferably 10 minutes or less.

[0078] [Biofilm] Biofilms are structures formed by communities of microorganisms, such as bacteria or molds, attached to solid or liquid surfaces, along with their secretions. Biofilms are produced by microbial communities in which cells either adhere to each other or to surfaces, such as fabrics, dishes, or hard or other surfaces. These adherent cells are often embedded within a self-produced matrix of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS).

[0079] On laundry, biofilm-producing bacteria can be found in the following species: Acinetobacter sp., Aeromicrobium sp., Brevundimonas sp., Microbacterium sp., Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Stenotrophomonas sp.), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (genus Pseudomonas), Rhodotorula, Methylobacterium, Roseomonas, Moraxella, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcus. On hard surfaces, biofilm-producing bacteria can be found in the following species: Acinetobacter sp., Aeromicrobium sp., Brevundimonas sp., Microbacterium sp., Micrococcus luteus, Pseudomonas sp., Staphylococcus epidermidis, Staphylococcus aureus, and Stenotrophomonas sp.

[0080] [Object] In the present invention, the object to which a biofilm adheres is not limited, but examples thereof include hard surfaces such as kitchen, bathroom, and toilet floors, sinks, kitchen and bathroom equipment, toilet drains, drainage pipes, bathing facilities, food or beverage manufacturing plants, cooling water systems such as industrial cooling towers, endoscopes, catheters, medical equipment such as artificial dialysis, etc. Other examples of the object include sponges, fibers, and textile products.

[0081] Examples of hard surface materials include plastics such as polyethylene and polypropylene, metals, wood, and ceramics.

[0082] When a biofilm develops on an object having a complex internal structure, it is difficult to remove the biofilm that adheres to the interior. In the biofilm remover composition or biofilm removal method of the present invention, the component (A) and the component (B) act in cooperation with each other, so that the biofilm that adheres to the interior of the object can be more effectively removed from the object. Therefore, the object is preferably a fiber or a fiber product.

[0083] The fibers may be either hydrophobic or hydrophilic. Examples of hydrophobic fibers include protein fibers (such as milk protein casein fibers and Promix), polyamide fibers (such as nylon), polyester fibers (such as polyester), polyacrylonitrile fibers (such as acrylic), polyvinyl alcohol fibers (such as vinylon), polyvinyl chloride fibers (such as polyvinyl chloride), polyvinylidene chloride fibers (such as vinylidene), polyolefin fibers (such as polyethylene and polypropylene), polyurethane fibers (such as polyurethane), polyvinyl chloride / polyvinyl alcohol copolymer fibers (such as polycloral), polyalkylene paraoxybenzoate fibers (such as benzoate), polyfluoroethylene fibers (such as polytetrafluoroethylene), glass fibers, carbon fibers, alumina fibers, silicone carbide fibers, rock fibers, slag fibers, and metal fibers (gold thread, silver thread, and steel fiber). Examples of hydrophilic fibers include seed hair fibers (cotton, kapok, etc.), bast fibers (hemp, flax, ramie, hemp, jute, etc.), leaf vein fibers (Manila hemp, sisal, etc.), palm fibers, rush, straw, animal hair fibers (wool, mohair, cashmere, camel hair, alpaca, vicuna, angora, etc.), silk fibers (domestic silk, wild silk), feathers, and cellulosic fibers (rayon, polynosic, cupra, acetate, etc.).

[0084] Examples of textile products include fabrics such as woven fabrics, knitted fabrics, and nonwoven fabrics using the hydrophobic fibers or hydrophilic fibers, and products obtained using the same, such as undershirts, T-shirts, dress shirts, blouses, slacks, hats, handkerchiefs, towels, knitwear, socks, underwear, tights, and masks. [Example]

[0085] <Examples and Comparative Examples> Biofilm remover compositions shown in Tables 1 and 2 were prepared using the ingredients listed below, and the removal of biofilms attached to objects was evaluated. The component values ​​in the tables are in mass %. Component (A) (a-1): Benzyl alcohol, manufactured by Kao Corporation (a-2): Diethylene glycol monobutyl ether, manufactured by Kao Corporation (a-3): Phenoxyethanol, manufactured by Kao Corporation (a-4): 2-Phenylethanol: manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, reagent grade (a-5): 1-Pentanol: manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, reagent grade (a-6): Hexanol: manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, reagent grade (a-7): 1-Octanol: manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, reagent grade (a’-1): Propylene glycol: manufactured by FUJIFILM Wako Pure Chemical Corporation, reagent grade

[0086] Component (B) (b-1): C16IOS: Potassium internal olefin sulfonate having 16 carbon atoms obtained in the following production example

[0087] <Production Example of C16IOS> C16IOS was obtained by using an internal olefin having 16 carbon atoms and referring to the method described in the production example of JP-A-2014-76988. The mass ratio of olefin form (potassium olefin sulfonate) / hydroxy form (potassium hydroxyalkane sulfonate) in the obtained potassium internal olefin sulfonate of C16IOS was 17 / 83. The mass ratio of the positional distribution of the sulfonic acid group of the hydroxy form in C16IOS was 1st / 2nd / 3rd / 4th / 5th / 6-9th = 2.3% / 23.6% / 18.9% / 17.5% / 13.7% / 11.2% / 6.4% / 6.4% / 0% (total 100% by mass). Also, (IO-1S) / (IO-2S) ≒ 1.6 (mass ratio). Here, (IO-1S) / (IO-2S) is the mass ratio of the content of internal olefin sulfonate (IO-1S) in which the sulfonic acid group is present at the 2nd to 4th positions and the content of internal olefin sulfonate (IO-2S) in which the sulfonic acid group is present at the 5th or higher positions.

[0088] (b-2): Sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate, Neopelex G-25, manufactured by Kao Corporation

[0089] (b-3): Sodium dodecyl sulfate, Fujifilm Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd., first-grade reagent

[0090] (b-4): Polyoxyethylene alkyl (C10-16) ether sulfate sodium salt, a compound represented by general formula (B2-1), in which the average number of moles of propyleneoxy groups (PO) added is 0 moles and the average number of moles of ethyleneoxy groups (EO) added is 2 moles.

[0091] (b-5): Polyoxyalkylene alkyl (C12-14) ether sulfate monoethanolamine salt, a compound represented by general formula (B2-1), in which the alkyleneoxy group has an average added mole number of propyleneoxy groups (PO) of 2 moles and an average added mole number of ethyleneoxy groups (EO) of 2 moles, and is a compound in which PO and EO are block-bonded to R1-O- in general formula (B2-1) in this order.

[0092] Water: Ion-exchanged water <Method for evaluating biofilm removal effect> <Reagents used> Potato dextrose agar "Nissui" (Nihon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) R2A medium "Daigo" (Nihon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.)

[0093] <Bacterial strain used> Methylobacterium variabile (clothing isolate) Rhodotorula mucilaginosa (clothing isolate) Roseomonas mucosa (clothing isolate)

[0094] <Equipment used> Microplate (IWAKI) Bioshaker (TAITEC BioShaker BR-23UM) Spectrophotometer (APEL Co., Ltd. PD-303S) Aluminum block heater (SONICS ALB-221) 1.5mL microtube (Eppendorf) High-speed centrifuge (Eppendorf Centrifuge 5424 R) Glass test tube (Corning PYREX) Vortex mixer (LMS VTX-3000L) Microplate reader (TECAN Infinite(R)200PRO)

[0095] <Experimental Method> [Pre-cultivation of the strain used] 0.1 mL of a 10% glycerol suspension of the above strain stored at -80°C was smeared on potato dextrose agar medium, spread with a Conlarge stick, and cultured statically at 30°C for 72 hours.

[0096] [Preparation of liquid medium] 3.2 g of R2A liquid medium was dissolved in 1 L of ion-exchanged water, and the solution was autoclaved at 121°C for 15 minutes.

[0097] [Creation of model biofilms] Calcium chloride and magnesium chloride were mixed with R2A liquid medium in a mass ratio of 8:2 to adjust the hardness to 4°dH. Sodium bicarbonate and hydrochloric acid were then added to adjust the alkalinity. Pre-cultured colonies were scraped and suspended in the R2A liquid medium, and the turbidity was adjusted to 0.1 at a wavelength of 600 nm using a spectrophotometer. Bacterial solutions were prepared for Methylobacterium, Rhodotorula, and Roseomonas using the same procedure, and the three bacterial solutions were mixed at a volume ratio of 1:1:1. 300 μL of the mixed bacterial solution was dispensed into a 24-well microplate and incubated at 30°C for 24 hours.

[0098] After incubation, the R2A liquid medium was removed from each well of the microplate, and 500 μL of ion-exchanged water was added to each well and then removed for washing.The plate was then left to dry in a safety cabinet for 1 hour, allowing the biofilm to adhere to the bottom of the microplate.

[0099] [Biofilm removal method] [Process 1] To the microplate on which the model biofilm had been formed, 500 μL / well of the biofilm removing composition shown in Tables 1 and 2 was added, and the plate was shaken at 180 rpm for 30 minutes using a bioshaker. The biofilm removing composition was then removed.

[0100] [Process 2] After step 1, 1000 μL / well of ion-exchanged water was added to the microplate, and the plate was shaken three times at 180 rpm for five minutes using a bioshaker.

[0101] [Quantitative determination of total sugar content] After biofilm removal, 500 μL of 0.1 M NaOH solution was added to each well of the microplate to suspend any remaining biofilm. The suspension was transferred to a 1.5 mL microtube and heated at 100°C in an aluminum block heater for 60 minutes. After cooling, the plate was centrifuged at 12,000 rpm for 10 minutes at 25°C in a high-speed centrifuge. The supernatant was used as the sample. The total sugar content of the biofilm component in the sample was quantified using the phenol-sulfuric acid method.

[0102] 100 μL of sample and 100 μL of 5% phenol solution were placed in a glass test tube and mixed using a vortex mixer. 500 μL of concentrated sulfuric acid was added and further mixed, and the reaction solution was then cooled to room temperature. 200 μL of the reaction solution was transferred to a 96-well microplate, and the absorbance at an excitation wavelength of 490 nm was measured using a microplate reader. The same procedure was performed for the glucose standard dilution solution, and a calibration curve was created. The total sugar content of the remaining biofilm was calculated in terms of glucose using the calibration curve and the absorbance of the reaction solution.

[0103] [Calculation of biofilm removal improvement rate] The biofilm removal rate for each test solution was calculated as follows: [(total sugar amount after treatment with ion-exchanged water) - (total sugar amount after treatment with biofilm removal composition)] / (total sugar amount after treatment with ion-exchanged water) × 100 (%).

[0104] In Table 1, the improvement rate of the biofilm removal rate of each composition was calculated using the following calculation method, assuming that the biofilm removal rate of Comparative Example 1 was 1. (Biofilm removal rate by each biofilm removing composition) / (biofilm removing composition described in Comparative Example 1 in Table 1)

[0105] A biofilm removal improvement rate of 1.0 or higher was considered a pass. Higher numbers are more preferable.

[0106] In Table 2, the improvement rate of the biofilm removal rate of Example 13 was measured when the biofilm removal rate of Comparative Example 6 was set to 1, using the biofilm remover composition described in Comparative Example 1 in Table 1 instead. Similarly, the improvement rate of biofilm removal of Example 14 was calculated using Comparative Example 7 as the standard, that of Example 15 using Comparative Example 8 as the standard, and that of Example 16 using Comparative Example 9 as the standard. A value of 1.0 or higher was considered acceptable. A higher value is more preferable.

[0107] [Table 1]

[0108] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A biofilm remover composition comprising the following component (A) at 0.5% by mass or more and component (B) at 0.25% by mass or more. Component (A): an organic solvent having a LogP of 0.1 or more Component (B): Anionic surfactant

2. The biofilm remover composition according to claim 1, wherein the mass ratio of the content of the component (B) to the content of the component (A) in the biofilm remover composition, that is, the component (B) / component (A), is 1 or more.

3. The biofilm remover composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (A) is an organic solvent having a Log P of 0.1 or more and having a hydroxyl group.

4. The biofilm remover composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component (A) is an organic solvent having a LogP of 1 or more.

5. The biofilm remover composition according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the organic solvent of the component (A) is an organic solvent having an aromatic hydrocarbon group in the molecule.

6. A method for removing a biofilm, comprising contacting a biofilm attached to an object with a biofilm remover composition containing 0.5 mass% or more of the following component (A) and 0.25 mass% or more of the following component (B): Component (A): an organic solvent having a LogP of 0.1 or more Component (B): Anionic surfactant