Mite-capturing composition and mite-capturing device using the same

Abstract

To provide a mite-capturing composition and a mite-capturing device using the same that are able to capture and weaken mites without using an insect repellent or insecticide.SOLUTION: The mite-capturing composition contains an attractant and a desiccant. The main component of the desiccant is zeolite having a volume-average particle diameter greater than or equal to 10 nm and less than 1000 nm.SELECTED DRAWING: None

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a composition for trapping mites, which attracts and weakens house dust mites such as Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae, which cause allergies, and a mite trap using the same. [Background technology]

[0002] House dust mites include Dermatophagoides pteronyssinus and Dermatophagoides farinae, and the eggs, feces, shed skins, and carcasses produced by these dust mites are known to cause house dust as well as asthma and allergic diseases.

[0003] Research and development into the repelling and extermination of pests such as mites and mosquitoes has been actively conducted, and many types of pest repellents and extermination agents have been developed to date. For example, pyrethroid compounds are widely known as extermination agents for pests such as mites and mosquitoes (Patent Document 1). However, the compounds used as active ingredients in these pesticides or repellents may have adverse effects on the human body, and their toxicity to the human body is often a problem. In addition, in recent years, pests resistant to pyrethroid compounds have emerged, causing problems with reduced extermination effectiveness. Furthermore, even when pesticides are used, there is a problem in that they cannot remove eggs, feces, shells, and carcasses, and therefore cannot remove these substances that cause asthma and allergic diseases.

[0004] A mite trap has also been disclosed that uses a substance that attracts mites, leading them into a nonwoven bag where they remain, and then dries and kills them using silica gel inside the bag (Patent Document 2). However, the particle diameter is very large, at 180 μm or more, and it takes a considerable amount of time to remove the moisture from the mites' bodies and weaken them, which could lead to mites escaping from the attractant bag, as they dislike drying out. Furthermore, if it takes a long time to weaken the mites, there is a possibility that they will continue to produce large amounts of eggs, feces, shed skins, etc. inside the attractant bag, which could cause asthma and allergic diseases.

[0005] Therefore, there has been a demand for the development of a mite-trapping composition that can trap mites without the use of pest repellents or pesticides, and a mite trap using the same. Furthermore, there has been a particular demand for the development of a mite-trapping composition that not only traps mites but also weakens the captured mites in a short period of time, rendering them inactive. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-089683 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2023-121439 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned background art, and aims to provide a mite capturing composition that can capture and weaken mites without using pest repellents or pest control agents, and a mite trap using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] The present inventors have conducted extensive research to solve the above problems and issues, and have found that the inclusion of a specific compound can attract and weaken mites. That is, the present invention relates to the following [1] to [5].

[0009] [1] A composition for capturing mites, comprising an attractant and a desiccant, the main component of which is zeolite having a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm. [2] A composition for capturing mites according to [1], wherein the attractant contains brewer's yeast. [3] A composition for capturing mites according to [1] or [2], in which the desiccant is present in an amount of 0.01% or more and 10% or less of the total weight of the attractant. [4] A mite trap comprising a container containing the mite trapping composition described in [1] or [2]. [5] A mite trap having the mite-trapping composition described in [1] or [2] fixed to a substrate. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems and provides a mite trapping composition and a mite trap using the same that can trap mites without using pest repellents or pesticides. Furthermore, the present invention not only captures mites but also weakens the captured mites in a short period of time, rendering them inactive.

[0011] Furthermore, because the moisture content of mites' bodies can reach 80%, using zeolite with a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm as a desiccant can rapidly remove the moisture from the mites' bodies, drying and weakening them in as little as two days. In other words, by using the present invention, an environment that weakens the mites in the attractant bag can be easily created, effectively preventing the mass production of house dust.

[0012] Furthermore, by implementing this invention, it is possible to prevent the captured mites from continuously producing large amounts of house dust inside the attractant bag, thereby reducing the absolute amount of allergy-causing substances and ensuring the capacity to capture new mites. This is expected to lead to fundamental improvements in measures against mite-induced allergies and to contribute to a wider improvement in the quality of life of the nation. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION In the present specification, when "%" is used simply, it means percent by mass.

[0014] <Mite-trapping composition> The mite-trapping composition of the present invention may contain at least an attractant and a desiccant. The attractant in this invention means a substance used for the purpose of attracting harmful animals such as mites and other pests, and does not necessarily have the effect of killing or exterminating insects. The desiccant in this invention means a hygroscopic substance used to remove moisture from harmful animals such as mites and other pests. In addition to the attractant and desiccant, various additives such as fragrances and preservatives may be added to the mite-trapping composition of the present invention, provided that the effects of the present invention are not impaired.

[0015] <Attractant> The attractant according to the present invention is not particularly limited as long as it can attract harmful animals such as mites and other pests, but it is preferable to use various yeasts or various fragrances, and these may be used in combination. The use of yeasts or fragrances as an attractant for mites has the advantage of being harmless to humans and pets and attracting mites.

[0016] The yeast used as the attractant may be any yeast that has the effect of attracting mites, such as alcohol yeast, brewer's yeast, baker's yeast, or sake yeast. Among these, brewer's yeast is more preferred because of its high mite-attracting effect. Two or more of these yeasts may also be used in combination. Dried yeast may also be used. When yeast is used as an attractant, saccharides, amino acids, proteins, vitamins, metal salts, etc. may be added as appropriate as nutrient sources for the yeast.

[0017] The fragrance used in the attractant may be any that has the effect of attracting mites, and for example, flavors used in food and drink such as vanilla, nuts, butter, etc. may be used.

[0018] <Desiccant> Zeolite can be suitably used as the desiccant according to the present invention, and zeolite can be used alone, or two or more desiccant agents including zeolite can be used. Zeolite is characterized by its high moisture adsorption capacity compared to other desiccants such as silica gel and calcium chloride. Zeolite granulated to nanometer size has a water absorption speed approximately seven times faster than zeolite granulated to micrometer size, allowing it to absorb moisture in a short period of time.

[0019] The zeolite may be any of natural, synthetic, and artificial zeolites, but it is preferable to use synthetic or artificial zeolites.Natural zeolites have unstable porous structures and sizes that vary from one to another, whereas synthetic and artificial zeolites have the advantage of having uniform porous structures.

[0020] The zeolite may be hydrophilically or hydrophobically treated, or a combination of these may be used. For example, when a lipophilic fragrance is used as an attractant, hydrophobically treated zeolite can be suitably used. By impregnating the fragrance into the hydrophobically treated zeolite, the sustained release period of the fragrance, which is the attractant, can be adjusted and stabilized.

[0021] The size of the zeolite according to the present invention is sufficient as long as it has a volume average particle size of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm, and from the viewpoints of marketability, procurement cost, surface area and moisture absorption rate, it is preferably 20 nm or more and 600 nm or less.

[0022] It is known that the smaller the volume average particle diameter, the greater the ratio of surface area to volume, resulting in a higher adsorption effect for ions and other substances. However, if the volume average particle diameter is less than 10 nm, the moisture adsorption effect does not last long. On the other hand, if the volume average particle diameter is 1000 nm or more, the moisture adsorption rate decreases, and the captured mites cannot be quickly absorbed and weakened.

[0023] The volume average particle diameter refers to the median diameter of the volume distribution measured using a laser diffraction / scattering method for a particle dispersion, and is the particle size that is exactly 50% of the median when the results of multiple measurements are expressed as the cumulative abundance ratio of each size. If the particles are scaly, the volume average particle diameter is calculated based on the shape and size of the particles when converted to spherical form.

[0024] The term "major component" means that when multiple substances are used as desiccants, the weight ratio of zeolite with a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm is the highest compared to other desiccants. For example, when two types of desiccants are used, the weight ratio of zeolite with a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm is more than 50% of the total desiccant.

[0025] The amount of desiccant to be added is preferably 0.01% or more, more preferably 0.5% or more, based on the total weight of the attractant. If it is less than 0.01%, it will not function as a desiccant and its effect in weakening mites will be weakened. The upper limit is preferably 10% or less, more preferably 5% or less. If it exceeds 10%, it will function too strongly as a desiccant, which may repel mites from the mite-trapping composition, and this is not preferable. Furthermore, as long as the content is within the above range, the amount will not be too small or too large relative to the attractant. Furthermore, there is the advantage that costs will not increase excessively, making it possible to commercialize the product without reducing market competitiveness.

[0026] In addition, by using zeolite with a volume average particle diameter of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm as a desiccant, the amount of desiccant used can be kept within the range of 0.01% or more and 10% or less, allowing the size of the mite trap to be reduced.

[0027] <Tick trap> The mite trap of the present invention may be any device in which the mite-trapping composition is fixed to a substrate or stored in a container, and there are no restrictions on its shape as long as it does not impair the mite-trapping effect.

[0028] For example, a mite trap can be made by providing an adhesive layer on one side of a substrate such as cardboard or a resin sheet, and then attaching and immobilizing the mite trap composition to the adhesive layer. Alternatively, an adhesive sheet for fixing the mite trap to a floor or fabric can be used on the other side of the substrate.

[0029] For example, a mite trap can be a container made of nonwoven fabric, paper, or a resin film with holes, in which the mite trap composition is stored. The container is not limited to a sealed structure as long as the mite trap composition contained therein does not leak. Furthermore, the structure of the container is not particularly limited as long as it can store the mite trap composition. [Example]

[0030] Next, the present invention will be described in more detail using examples, but the present invention is not limited to these. When descriptions such as "same," "equal," and "different" are used to describe external dimensions or sizes, these descriptions do not have the strict meaning. In other words, "same," "equal," and "different" mean "substantially the same," "substantially equal," and "substantially different," allowing for design and manufacturing tolerances and errors. Furthermore, in addition to the above, the methods of the above embodiments and each modified example may be appropriately combined and used. Although not specifically illustrated, the present invention may be implemented with various modifications within the scope of its spirit.

[0031] <Preparation of mite-trapping composition> The mite trapping composition according to the present invention was prepared by mixing an attractant and a desiccant. Brewer's yeast was used as the attractant contained in the mite trapping composition. Zeolite particles with a volume average particle diameter (D50) of 48 nm were used as the desiccant contained in the mite trapping composition. The D10 of the zeolite used was 24 nm, and the D90 was 89 nm.

[0032] A mite-trapping composition obtained by mixing a desiccant and an attractant in the ratio shown in Table 1 was placed in a nonwoven fabric attractant bag. Furthermore, live mites (purchased from Sumika Techno Service Co., Ltd.) were placed in the attractant bag to prepare a test sample.

[0033] <Evaluation of mite-trapping composition> The bait bag containing the mite trapping composition and live mites was placed on the mattress, and the contents were removed from the bag every day for 7 days from the date of placement, and the activity of the mites was observed under an optical microscope. The experiment was conducted indoors. The room temperature was between 21°C and 26°C, and the humidity was between 24% and 44% RH.

[0034] The evaluation was carried out by removing the contents from the attractant bag every day and observing under an optical microscope whether or not the movement of living mites could be confirmed. The evaluation criteria were as follows. The evaluation results are shown in Table 2.

[0035] [Evaluation criteria] ◎: No moving specimens were observed. ○: Less than 50% of the individuals were moving. △:More than 50% of the individuals were moving. ×: 80% or more of the individuals were moving.

[0036] One day after the start of the experiment, moving individuals (living mites) were observed in all examples and comparative examples.

[0037] Two days after the start of the experiment, no moving individuals (living mites) were observed in Examples 2 to 4. This is presumably because the desiccant deprived the mites of moisture, weakening them. A decrease in moving individuals (living mites) was also observed in Example 1.

[0038] Three days after the start of the experiment, even in Example 1, no moving individuals (living mites) were observed.

[0039] On the other hand, in Comparative Example 1, individuals (living mites) were observed still moving after 7 days, indicating that the presence of a desiccant is effective in weakening the mites.

[0040] <Investigation of the effects of desiccants in mite trapping compositions> The attractant bags containing the mite-trapping compositions described in Comparative Example 1 and Example 1 were placed side by side on a mattress, and the influence of the presence or absence of a desiccant on the attractant effect on mites was investigated.

[0041] The attractant bags were placed on the mattress and then collected 4 weeks later. The mite trapping compositions were removed from the collected attractant bags and examined under an optical microscope for the presence or absence of mites.

[0042] The presence of mites was confirmed in both the mite trapping compositions described in Comparative Example 1 and Example 1. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the number of mites attracted depending on whether or not a desiccant was present. This indicates that mites present on the mattress were attracted to the attractant bag, regardless of whether or not a desiccant was present. These results demonstrate that the desiccant does not affect the attraction of mites.

[0043] [Table 1]

[0044] [Table 2]

Claims

1. A composition for capturing mites, comprising an attractant and a desiccant, the main component of which is zeolite having a volume average particle size of 10 nm or more and less than 1000 nm.

2. 2. The composition for capturing mites according to claim 1, wherein the attractant contains brewer's yeast.

3. 3. The composition for capturing mites according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the desiccant to the total weight of the attractant is 0.01% or more and 10% or less.

4. A mite trap comprising a container containing the composition for trapping mites according to claim 1 or 2.

5. A mite trap comprising the composition for trapping mites according to claim 1 or 2 fixed to a substrate.

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