Storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition, its stabilizing method and use

Abstract

The present invention relates to a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, which comprises at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ionic sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Further, the present invention relates to an aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer, a method for stabilizing an aqueous formulation during storage, and the use of the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the pH value of an aqueous formulation, or for preventing the growth of microorganisms and viruses and / or bacteriophages, or for achieving both of them.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ionic sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Further, the present invention relates to an aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer, a method for stabilizing an aqueous formulation during storage, and the use of the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the pH value of an aqueous formulation or for preventing the growth of microorganisms and viruses and / or bacteriophages, or for achieving both.

Background Art

[0002] Aqueous formulations and in particular suspensions, emulsions, dispersions or slurries of water-insoluble solids such as minerals, fillers or pigments are in fact widely used in the paper, paint, rubber and plastic industries not only as coatings, fillers, extenders and pigments for paper but also as aqueous lacquers and paints. For example, suspensions or slurries of calcium carbonate, talc or kaolin are used in large quantities in the paper industry as fillers and / or as components in the preparation of coated paper. Further, such aqueous formulations are also used as additives in the concrete and agricultural industries. Typical aqueous formulations of water-insoluble solids are characterized in that they contain water, a water-insoluble solid compound, and optionally further additives (e.g., dispersants) in the form of a suspension, slurry or dispersion having a water-insoluble solid content of 0.1 to 99.0% by weight based on the total weight of the formulation. A typical aqueous formulation is a white mineral dispersion (WMD) having a solid content of 45.0 to 78.0% by weight. In such formulations, water-soluble polymers and copolymers that can be used, for example, as dispersants and / or grinding aids are described, for example, in U.S. Patent No. 5,278,248.

[0003] Other aqueous formulations often used as fiber composites, food composites, pharmaceutical preparations, cosmetic composites, plastic composites, plaster composites, varnish composites, or joint filler composites are in the form of aqueous solutions, suspensions, emulsions, dispersions, or slurries and contain organic compounds such as starch, carbohydrates, cellulose, modified cellulose and cellulose-based pulp, glycerol, hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof.

[0004] The aforementioned aqueous formulations are often stored in, for example, bottles, Tetra Pak® containers, large packs, or tanks and then shipped. Further, the aforementioned aqueous formulations are also often stored after transportation to retailers or end consumers. However, during storage, changes in the properties of the formulation can occur, such as changes in pH. Further possible changes are changes in viscosity, discoloration, or a decrease in other quality parameters, which negatively affect the commercial value of the aforementioned aqueous formulations. Further, during storage, microbial growth can occur in such aqueous formulations, which means that these aqueous formulations are susceptible to contamination by microorganisms such as fungi, yeasts, molds, protozoa, and / or aerobic and anaerobic bacteria, as well as viruses and / or bacteriophages. Such contamination by microorganisms and viruses and / or bacteriophages poses a risk to humans, animals, and / or crops, depending on the species.

[0005] Therefore, especially since microorganisms can strongly affect the pH of the formulation by lowering the pH, manufacturers of such aqueous formulations usually take measures to stabilize suspensions, dispersions, or slurries during storage by using preservatives, such as pH stabilizers and / or antibacterial agents. However, such known storage stabilizers often pose risks to the environment and human or animal health in the amounts used.

[0006] In the related art, several efforts have been proposed to improve the storage stability or storage quality of aqueous formulations. For example, Canadian Patent Application Publication No. 2081831 A1 mentions a method for preventing the destabilization of an aqueous PCC slurry of precipitated calcium carbonate, which causes deterioration of the viscosity of the slurry. Here, stabilizing elements selected from the group consisting of wet and dry types of hydroxyethyl cellulose, wet and dry types of hydrophobically modified hydroxyethyl cellulose, alkali-soluble acrylic polymers, alkali-swellable associative thickeners, attapulgite clay, alginate, salts of alginic acid, starch, hydroxypropylmethyl cellulose, urethane associative stabilizers, hydroxybutylmethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose, guar gum and natural rubber derivatives, gaseous carbon dioxide, and mixtures thereof are added. German Patent Application Publication No. 102016002221 A1 mentions a dispersion paint containing 1 to 15% by weight of a pigment, 30 to 60% by weight of a filler, 1 to 25% by weight of a polymer, 0.1 to 3.5% by weight of an alkali metal alkyl silicate, and 25 to 70% by weight of water, where the pH value of the dispersion paint is 10 to 12. The pH value of this dispersion paint is stable for at least 4 weeks.

[0007] However, as already described above, on the one hand, it is important to stabilize an aqueous formulation for a specified period of time against pH changes, while on the other hand, it is also important to stabilize an aqueous formulation against microorganisms and viruses and / or bacteriophages and to prevent or reduce the growth and / or propagation of microorganisms and viruses and / or bacteriophages.

[0008] In the art, several efforts have been proposed to improve the microbiological quality of aqueous formulations. For example, European Patent No. 1139741 describes an aqueous suspension or dispersion of minerals, fillers and / or pigments containing a drug in solution form and a derivative of phenol in a partially neutralized form. US Patent Application Publication No. 2006 / 0111410 refers to a mixture containing 1,2-benzisothiazolinone (BIT) and tetramethylol-acetylene diurea (TMAD) for protecting industrial materials and products from microbial attack and destruction. Further, in the art, it has been proposed to add formaldehyde-releasing substances to such aqueous formulations to improve the microbiological quality. For example, US Patent No. 4655815 refers to an antibacterial composition containing a formaldehyde donor. European Patent Application Publication No. 2374353 A1 refers to a method for preserving an aqueous formulation of a mineral material such as, for example, a calcium carbonate formulation. European Patent Application Publication No. 2596702 A1 refers to a method for stabilizing an aqueous mineral formulation, which includes the step of adding at least one aldehyde-containing and / or aldehyde-releasing and / or phenol and / or isothiazoline bactericide to the aqueous mineral formulation. US Patent Application Publication No. 2004 / 0168614 A1 relates to a paint and / or coating composition containing a corrosion-inhibiting pigment including a metal salt containing metal cations and anions and a metal oxide or metal hydroxide, wherein the molar ratio of the total metal to the anion ranges from 1:4 to 1:120.

[0009] "Bacterial antimicrobial metal ion resistance" by Jon L. Hobman et al., Journal of Medical Microbiology, 2014, 64, 471 - 497 discloses the use of metals such as mercury, arsenic, copper, and silver as antimicrobial agents. European Patent No. 1109562 B1 refers to composite particles comprising a core containing a biocidal metal oxide and a shell containing a pyrithione salt of a core metal having biocidal activity complementary to the activity of the core. The metal in the core can be selected from copper. However, zinc, bismuth, silver, or zirconium is also mentioned. Australian Patent Application Publication No. 2001 / 282982 discloses a coating composition for a surgical device comprising a therapeutic water-soluble glass and a biocompatible polymer. The therapeutic water-soluble glass may contain an auxiliary antimicrobial agent, such as silver. European Patent No. 3627987 discloses an antimicrobial composition comprising at least one water-soluble or dispersible zinc ion source in combination with at least one water-soluble or dispersible lithium ion source. International Publication No. 2017 / 029482 A1 discloses a composition comprising an inorganic granular mineral and an antimicrobial metal, wherein the antimicrobial metal is incorporated within the particles of the inorganic granular mineral, and wherein the antimicrobial metal is selected from the group consisting of silver, cobalt, nickel, copper, iron, mercury, lead, zinc, zirconium, molybdenum, bismuth, gold, aluminum, magnesium, niobium, silicon, tantalum, hafnium, lanthanum, tungsten, calcium, titanium, vanadium, cerium, strontium, tin, lithium, and combinations thereof. European Patent Application Publication No. 2982247 A1 relates not only to a method for preparing a disinfectant product, the disinfectant product obtained by that method, a disinfectant inorganic powder composition, a disinfectant polymer product, but also to the use of one or more lithium ion sources in combination with one or more sodium ion sources for the preparation of a disinfectant product effective against microbial contamination.

[0010] However, the use of storage stabilizers in aqueous formulations is subject to continuously increasing limitations. In particular, when storage stabilizers prevent or reduce the growth of microorganisms, there are continuously increasing limitations regarding their concentration. However, at reduced antibacterial agent concentrations, the effect of each antibacterial agent against bacteria, fungi, yeasts, algae, and / or molds is usually no longer satisfactory compared to the antibacterial effect observed at higher concentrations of the same antibacterial agent. Thus, the antibacterial action obtained at reduced antibacterial agent concentrations is typically insufficient to stabilize aqueous formulations against microbial growth.

[0011] Furthermore, these known antibacterial agents often do not stabilize the pH value of aqueous formulations. Additionally, these antibacterial agents are often toxic and / or harmful to humans, animals, and / or the environment.

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0012] Therefore, there is still a need in the art for storage stabilizers that preserve aqueous formulations such as solutions, suspensions, dispersions, and slurries against microorganisms as well as viruses and / or bacteriophages, while avoiding or at least reducing the use of conventional antibacterial agents such as phenols, halogenated phenols, halogen-containing compounds, halogen-releasing compounds, isothiazolinones, aldehyde-containing compounds, aldehyde-releasing compounds, guanidines, sulfones, thiocyanates, pyrithiones, antibiotics such as β-lactam antibiotics, quaternary ammonium salts, peroxides, perchlorates, amides, amines, heavy metals (other than zinc ions), biocidal enzymes, biocidal polypeptides, azoles, carbamates, glyphosate, sulfonamides, and mixtures thereof. Alternatively, these storage stabilizers should provide additional beneficial properties, particularly stabilizing the pH of the aqueous composition.

[0013] Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage. In particular, an object of the present invention is to provide a storage stabilizer that prevents or reduces microbial growth in aqueous formulations such as solutions, suspensions, dispersions, and slurries. A further object of the present invention is to avoid or at least reduce the use of conventional antibacterial agents such as phenols, halogenated phenols, halogen-containing compounds, halogen-releasing compounds, isothiazolinones, aldehyde-containing compounds, aldehyde-releasing compounds, guanidines, sulfones, thiocyanates, pyrithiones, antibiotics such as β-lactam antibiotics, quaternary ammonium salts, peroxides, perchlorates, amides, amines, biocidal enzymes, biocidal polypeptides, azoles, carbamates, glyphosate, sulfonamides, and mixtures thereof. Another object of the present invention is to provide a storage stabilizer that stabilizes the pH of an aqueous composition, prevents the growth of microorganisms and / or viruses and / or bacteriophages, or enables both. Furthermore, another object of the present invention is that the storage stabilizer is easy to handle, inexpensive, and non-toxic to humans, animals, and / or the environment. Furthermore, this storage stabilizer should be insensitive to disintegration by pH or temperature and should be inert to chemical reactions.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0014] (Summary of the Invention) These and other objects of the present invention can be solved by a storage stabilizer, an aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer, a method, and a use as described in the present invention and defined in the claims.

[0015] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, the storage stabilizer comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0016] The inventors have surprisingly found that the storage stabilizer of the present invention can stabilize an aqueous composition during storage. More precisely, the storage stabilizer stabilizes the aqueous composition against pH changes for a specified period of time, prevents the growth of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages, or achieves both. Furthermore, in addition to the storage stabilizer, no further antibacterial agent is required to prevent or reduce the growth and / or propagation of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages. Furthermore, the storage stabilizer of the present invention is easy to handle, inexpensive, and not toxic to humans, animals and / or the environment. Furthermore, the storage stabilizer is insensitive to disintegration by pH or temperature and is inert to chemical reactions.

[0017] A second aspect of the present invention is an aqueous formulation comprising the storage stabilizer of the present invention, preferably a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metal working fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

[0018] A further aspect of the present invention relates to a method for stabilizing an aqueous formulation during storage, the method comprising the following steps: (a) providing an aqueous formulation, preferably a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metal working fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation, (b) providing the storage stabilizer according to the present invention, and (c) contacting and mixing the aqueous formulation of step (a) with the storage stabilizer of step (b) in any order to obtain a stabilized aqueous formulation.

[0019] Another aspect of the invention refers to the use of the preservative stabilizer according to the invention for stabilizing the pH value of an aqueous formulation and / or for preserving the aqueous formulation against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages.

[0020] Preferred embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0021] According to one embodiment of the invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is at least one bismuth salt, preferably, the at least one bismuth salt is selected from the group consisting of bismuth carbonate, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth oxide, bismuth hydroxide, bismuth chloride, bismuth iodide, bismuth phosphate, bismuth citrate, bismuth acetate, bismuth lactate, bismuth subsalicylate, polymeric salts of bismuth and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salts of bismuth are preferably selected from the group consisting of bismuth salts of acrylic homopolymers, bismuth salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, bismuth salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

[0022] According to another embodiment of the invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is at least one magnesium salt, preferably, the at least one magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium phosphate, magnesium citrate, magnesium maleate, magnesium acetate, magnesium lactate, polymeric salts of magnesium and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salts of magnesium are preferably selected from the group consisting of magnesium salts of acrylic homopolymers, magnesium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, magnesium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

[0023] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is at least one sodium salt, preferably, the at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium maleate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, polymeric salts of sodium and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salt of sodium is preferably selected from the group consisting of sodium salts of acrylic homopolymers, sodium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, sodium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

[0024] According to another embodiment of the present invention, in the storage stabilizer described in the claims, the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source is at least one potassium salt, preferably, the at least one potassium salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, potassium hydroxide, potassium phosphate, potassium citrate, potassium maleate, potassium acetate, potassium lactate, polymeric salts of potassium and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salt of potassium is preferably selected from the group consisting of potassium salts of acrylic homopolymers, potassium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, potassium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

[0025] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is at least one zinc salt, more preferably, the at least one zinc salt is selected from the group consisting of zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, zinc chloride, zinc hydroxide, zinc phosphate, zinc citrate, zinc maleate, zinc acetate, zinc lactate, polymeric salts of zinc and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salt of zinc is preferably selected from the group consisting of zinc salts of acrylic homopolymers, zinc salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, zinc salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof.

[0026] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains water, and preferably, each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0027] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer has a pH value in the range of 3 to 14, more preferably 5 to 14, even more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11.

[0028] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of the at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is 100:1 to 1:100, preferably 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably 5:1 to 1:5.

[0029] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer does not contain at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible lithium ion source.

[0030] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains a further additive selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a binder, a thickener, a rheology additive, and an antifoaming agent.

[0031] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources are as follows: (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, or (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0032] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer of the present invention stabilizes the pH value of the aqueous preparation, and the aqueous preparation is stored for at least 15 days, preferably at least 20 days, more preferably at least 30 days, even more preferably at least 60 days, and most preferably 90 days against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages. It is present in the aqueous preparation in such an amount that it is stored.

[0033] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous preparation further comprises: (i) at least one inorganic particulate substance, preferably, the at least one inorganic particulate substance is selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, surface-modified calcium carbonate, dolomite, kaolin, clay, barite, talcum, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum silicate, titanium dioxide, hydro magnesite, perlite, sepiolite, brucite and mixtures thereof, most preferably, the at least one inorganic particulate substance is selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate and / or precipitated calcium carbonate, and / or (ii) at least one organic substance, preferably, the at least one organic substance is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates such as starch, sugar, cellulose, modified cellulose and cellulose-based pulp, glycerol, hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

[0034] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous preparation (i) has a pH value of 3 to 14, more preferably 5 to 14, even more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11, and / or (ii) based on the total weight of the aqueous preparation, a solids content of up to 85.0% by weight, preferably 10.0 to 82.0% by weight, more preferably 20.0 to 80.0% by weight. has.

[0035] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous formulation is a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metalworking fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

[0036] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the microorganism is selected from the group comprising at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae, and at least one strain of mixtures thereof.

Mode for Carrying Out the Invention

[0037] For the purposes of the present invention, the following terms should be understood to have the following meanings.

[0038] A storage stabilizer in the meaning of the present invention is an agent that stabilizes an aqueous composition during storage. "Stabilize during storage" means that the aqueous composition is stabilized against pH changes and / or against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages for a defined fraction of time. More precisely, by stabilizing during storage, an aqueous composition stored statically at 25 °C does not show a change in pH value exceeding ±2 pH-units, preferably not exceeding ±1 pH-unit, and / or prevents or reduces the growth and / or propagation of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages for at least 15 days.

[0039] According to the present invention, the term "preventing microbial growth" means that in the presence of a storage stabilizer, in an aqueous formulation, no significant growth of microorganisms such as at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and mixtures thereof, and viruses and / or bacteriophages is observed. This preferably does not result in an increase in the cfu value in the treated aqueous formulation compared to the formulation immediately before treatment, more preferably results in a decrease in the value to less than 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation, and even more preferably results in a decrease in the value to 80 - 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation using the bacterial counting method described in the Examples section herein. It is understood that the final aqueous formulation (i.e., the aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer) is diluted 10-fold and then 100 μL of the diluted composition is plated out to evaluate microbial growth.

[0040] According to the present invention, the term "reducing microbial growth" means that in the presence of a storage stabilizer, in an aqueous formulation, the growth of microorganisms such as at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and mixtures thereof, and viruses and / or bacteriophages is slower. This preferably results in a lower cfu value in the treated aqueous formulation compared to the formulation without the storage stabilizer before treatment, and more preferably results in a value of less than 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation using the bacterial counting method described in the Examples section herein. It is understood that the final aqueous formulation (i.e., the aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer) is diluted 10-fold and then 100 μL of the diluted composition is plated out to evaluate microbial growth.

[0041] The term "microorganism" or "bacteria" in the context of the present invention refers to microscopic-sized organisms, particularly bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and mixtures thereof.

[0042] The term "virus" in the context of the present invention is a microscopic infectious agent (pathogen) that contains genetic material either DNA or RNA and needs to invade a host to grow.

[0043] The term "bacteriophage", also known as "phage", is a virus that infects and replicates within bacteria and archaea. Bacteriophages are composed of proteins encapsulating a DNA or RNA genome and may have different structures. After injecting the genome into the cytoplasm, phages replicate within bacteria.

[0044] For the purposes of this application, a "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" material is defined as a material that, when mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover a liquid filtrate, provides 0.1 g or less of recovered solid material after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. A "water-soluble" material is defined as a material that results in the recovery of more than 0.1 g of solid material after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. To evaluate whether a material is insoluble or soluble in the meaning of the present invention, the sample size thereof is greater than 0.1 g, preferably 0.5 g or more.

[0045] For the purposes of the present invention, the term "viscosity" or "Brookfield viscosity" refers to the Brookfield viscosity. For this purpose, the Brookfield viscosity is measured by a Brookfield DV-II+Pro viscometer at 25 °C ± 1 °C, 100 rpm using the appropriate spindle of the Brookfield RV spindle set and specified in mPa·s. A person skilled in the art selects a spindle from the Brookfield RV-spindle set suitable for the measured viscosity range based on their technical knowledge. For example, for a viscosity range of 200 - 800 mPa·s, spindle 3 can be used; for a viscosity range of 400 - 1600 mPa·s, spindle 4 can be used; for a viscosity range of 800 - 3200 mPa·s, spindle 5 can be used; for a viscosity range of 1000 - 2000000 mPa·s, spindle 6 can be used; for a viscosity range of 4000 - 8000000 mPa·s, spindle 7 can be used.

[0046] For the purposes of the present invention, the "solid content" of a liquid composition is a measure of the amount of material remaining after all solvents or water have evaporated. If necessary, the "solid content" of a suspension given in weight % in the sense of the present invention can be determined using a sample size of 5 - 20 g with a Mettler-Toledo moisture analyzer HR73 (T = 120 °C, automatic switch-off 3, standard drying).

[0047] A "suspension" or "slurry" in the sense of the present invention contains undissolved solids and water, and optionally further additives, usually contains a large amount of solids, and thus can be more viscous and have a higher density than the liquid forming it.

[0048] An "aqueous composition" in the sense of the present invention refers to a composition containing water. More precisely, the term "aqueous" composition refers to a system in which the liquid phase contains water and preferably consists of water. However, this term does not exclude the case where the liquid phase of the aqueous composition contains a small amount of at least one water-miscible organic solvent, preferably selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, acetone, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, and mixtures thereof. When the aqueous composition contains at least one water-miscible organic solvent, the liquid phase of the aqueous composition contains at least one water-miscible organic solvent in an amount of 0.1 - 40.0 wt%, preferably 0.1 - 30.0 wt%, more preferably 0.1 - 20.0 wt%, most preferably 0.1 - 10.0 wt% based on the total weight of the liquid phase of the aqueous composition. For example, the liquid phase of the aqueous composition consists of water.

[0049] A "salt" in the sense of the present invention is a compound consisting of an ionic assembly of a cation (positively charged ion) and an anion (negatively charged ion), and thus is arranged such that the product is electrically neutral (has no net charge).

[0050] When the term "comprising" is used in this specification and the claims, it does not exclude other elements. For the purposes of the present invention, the term "consisting of" is considered a preferred embodiment of the term "comprising". Hereinafter, when one group is defined as including at least a certain number of embodiments, it should also be understood that this also preferably discloses a group consisting of only these embodiments.

[0051] Terms such as "obtainable" or "definable" and "obtained" or "defined" are used interchangeably. This means that, for example, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise, the term "obtained" does not mean that, for example, an embodiment must be obtained by the order of steps following the term "obtained", but such a limited understanding is meant to be always included in the terms "obtained" or "defined" as preferred embodiments.

[0052] Whenever the terms "including" or "having" are used, these terms are intended to be equivalent to "comprising" as defined above.

[0053] (Detailed description of the invention) According to the present invention, there is provided a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0054] Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the storage stabilizer of the present invention will be described in more detail. It should be understood that these embodiments and details are also applicable to the aqueous formulations of the present invention and their treatment, as well as the method of the present invention for stabilizing such aqueous formulations.

[0055] Storage stabilizer There is provided a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0056] Therefore, it is a requirement for one of the present storage stabilizers to contain at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources. "At least two different" in the sense of the present invention means that two or more, for example, three or four, all water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources are present in the storage stabilizer of the present invention. "Different" in the sense of the present invention means that when the storage stabilizer contains at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source as one water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Alternatively, when the storage stabilizer contains at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source as one water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Alternatively, when the storage stabilizer contains a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source as one water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Alternatively, when the storage stabilizer contains at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source as one water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source.Finally, when the storage stabilizer comprises at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source as one water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source.

[0057] The term "at least one" water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in the context of the present invention means that this source comprises, preferably consists of, one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion sources.

[0058] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source comprises, preferably consists of, one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source. Alternatively, the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion sources. For example, the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or three water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion sources. Preferably, the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion sources.

[0059] It is understood that at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source of the storage stabilizer can be any material that contains, preferably consists of, bismuth ions as cations.

[0060] At least one source of bismuth ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible. The terms "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" or "dispersible in water" in the context of the present invention refer to a system in which only a part of the bismuth ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., only a part of the particles of at least one bismuth ion source dissolves in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one bismuth ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides 0.1 g or less of recovered solid material after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. The term "water-soluble" or "soluble in water" in the context of the present invention refers to a system in which the bismuth ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., the particles of at least one bismuth ion source dissolve in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one bismuth ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides more than 0.1 g of recovered solid material after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. To evaluate whether the source of bismuth ions is an insoluble or soluble substance in the context of the present invention, the sample size is greater than 0.1 g, preferably 0.5 g or more.

[0061] The term "source" of bismuth ions in the context of the present invention refers to a compound containing bismuth ions, i.e., bismuth cations, preferably consisting of such a compound.

[0062] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is provided in the form of at least one bismuth salt. Preferably, the anion group of at least one bismuth salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonate, oxide, chloride, hydroxide, iodide, phosphate, citrate, acetate, lactate, salicylate, and mixtures thereof. In particular, at least one bismuth salt is selected from the group consisting of bismuth carbonate, basic bismuth carbonate, bismuth oxide, bismuth hydroxide, bismuth chloride, bismuth iodide, bismuth phosphate, bismuth citrate, bismuth acetate, bismuth lactate, basic bismuth salicylate, polymeric salts of bismuth, and mixtures thereof.

[0063] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is preferably bismuth carbonate, bismuth oxide or bismuth hydroxide. Preferably, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is bismuth oxide.

[0064] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is a polymeric salt of bismuth, such as an acrylic copolymer such as an acrylic homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, a polyphosphate, and mixtures thereof, and is present as a polymeric salt of bismuth having a plurality of acidic sites that can be partially or wholly neutralized with bismuth ions. The polymeric salt of bismuth is preferably bismuth polyacrylate.

[0065] The polymer salts of bismuth are preferably partially or fully neutralized, preferably to an extent of 5.0 to 100.0%, more preferably to an extent of 25.0 to 100.0%, and most preferably to an extent of 75.0 to 100.0%, using a neutralizing agent containing bismuth and optionally other alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal ions. According to a preferred embodiment, the acidic sites of the polymer salts of bismuth are neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing only bismuth. Neutralized polyacrylates and / or polymethacrylates with an average molecular weight of 50,000 or less, preferably in the range of 1,000 to 25,000, and more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 12,000 are particularly suitable.

[0066] Such bismuth ion sources are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. For example, from Sigma Aldrich, it is commercially available under the product name Bismus(III)oxide, purum≧98.0%(KT), 95381.

[0067] The term "at least one" water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in the context of the present invention means that this source contains, preferably consists of, one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion sources.

[0068] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source contains, preferably consists of, one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source. Alternatively, the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion sources. For example, the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or three water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion sources. Preferably, the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion sources.

[0069] It is understood that at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source of the storage stabilizer can be any material that contains magnesium ions as cations and preferably consists of them.

[0070] At least one source of magnesium ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible. The terms "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" or "dispersible in water" in the context of the present invention refer to a system in which only a part of the magnesium ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., only a part of the particles of at least one magnesium ion source dissolves in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one magnesium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of 0.1 g or less after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. The term "water-soluble" or "soluble in water" in the context of the present invention refers to a system in which the magnesium ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., the particles of at least one magnesium ion source dissolve in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one magnesium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of more than 0.1 g after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. To evaluate whether the source of magnesium ions is an insoluble or soluble substance in the context of the present invention, the sample size is greater than 0.1 g, preferably 0.5 g or more.

[0071] The term "source (supply source)" of magnesium ions in the context of the present invention refers to a compound that contains magnesium ions, i.e., magnesium cations, and preferably consists of them.

[0072] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is preferably provided in the form of at least one magnesium salt. Preferably, the anionic group of at least one magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonate, chloride, oxide, hydroxide, phosphate, citrate, maleate, acetate, lactate, and mixtures thereof. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium phosphate, magnesium citrate, magnesium maleate, magnesium acetate, magnesium lactate, polymeric salts of magnesium, and mixtures thereof.

[0073] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is preferably magnesium carbonate.

[0074] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is a polymeric salt of magnesium, such as an acrylic copolymer such as an acrylic homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, a polyphosphate, and mixtures thereof, and exists as a polymeric salt of magnesium having a plurality of acidic sites that can be partially or wholly neutralized with magnesium ions. The polymeric salt of magnesium is preferably magnesium polyacrylate.

[0075] The polymeric salts of magnesium are preferably partially or fully neutralized, preferably to an extent of 5.0 to 100.0%, more preferably to an extent of 25.0 to 100.0%, most preferably to an extent of 75.0 to 100.0%, and are preferably neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing ions of magnesium and optionally other alkali metals and / or alkaline earth metals. In one embodiment, the acidic sites of the polymeric salts of magnesium are neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing only magnesium. Neutralized polyacrylates and / or polymethacrylates having an average molecular weight of 50,000 or less, preferably in the range of 1,000 to 25,000, more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 12,000 are particularly preferred.

[0076] Such magnesium ion sources are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. For example, from Sigma Aldrich, Magnesiumcarbonat, heavy, 63032, tested according to Ph.Eur., is commercially available under the trade name.

[0077] The term "at least one" water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in the context of the present invention means that this source contains, preferably consists of, one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion sources.

[0078] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source contains, preferably consists of, one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source. Alternatively, the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion sources. For example, the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or three water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion sources. Preferably, the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion sources.

[0079] It is understood that at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source of the storage stabilizer of the present invention can be any material containing sodium ions as cations and preferably consisting of them.

[0080] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one source of sodium ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible.

[0081] At least one source of sodium ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible. The terms "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" or "dispersible in water" in the meaning of the present invention refer to a system in which only a part of the sodium ion source forms a solution with water, that is, only a part of the particles of at least one sodium ion source is dissolved in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one sodium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of 0.1 g or less after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 to 100 °C. The term "water-soluble" or "soluble in water" in the meaning of the present invention refers to a system in which the sodium ion source forms a solution with water, that is, the particles of at least one sodium ion source are dissolved in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one sodium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of more than 0.1 g after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 to 100 °C. To evaluate whether the source of sodium ions is an insoluble or soluble substance in the meaning of the present invention, the sample size is larger than 0.1 g, preferably more than 0.5 g.

[0082] The term "source (supply source)" of sodium ions in the meaning of the present invention refers to a compound containing sodium ions, that is, sodium cations, and preferably consisting of them.

[0083] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is preferably provided in the form of at least one sodium salt. Preferably, the anionic group of at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonate, chloride, hydroxide, phosphate, citrate, maleate, acetate, lactate, and mixtures thereof. In particular, at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium maleate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, polymeric salts of sodium, and mixtures thereof.

[0084] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is preferably sodium carbonate.

[0085] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is a polymeric salt of sodium, such as an acrylic copolymer, for example, an acrylic homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, a polyphosphate, and mixtures thereof, which is present as a polymeric salt of sodium having a plurality of acidic sites that can be partially or wholly neutralized with sodium ions. The polymeric salt of sodium is preferably selected from Li2Na2 polyphosphate, lithium-sodium hexametaphosphate, or sodium polyacrylate.

[0086] The polymer salt of sodium is preferably partially or completely neutralized, preferably to an extent of 5.0 to 100.0%, more preferably to an extent of 25.0 to 100.0%, and most preferably to an extent of 75.0 to 100.0%, using a neutralizing agent containing sodium ions and optionally other alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal ions. In one embodiment, the acidic sites of the polymer salt of sodium are neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing only sodium. Neutralized polyacrylates and / or polymethacrylates having an average molecular weight of 50,000 or less, preferably in the range of 1,000 to 25,000, and more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 12,000 are particularly preferred.

[0087] Such sodium ion sources are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. For example, from Sigma Aldrich, under the trade name Natriumcarbonat, powder, 99.5%, ACS reagent, 223530.

[0088] The term "at least one" water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source in the context of the present invention means that the source comprises, preferably consists of, one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion sources.

[0089] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source comprises, preferably consists of, one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source. Alternatively, the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion sources. For example, the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or three water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion sources. Preferably, the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source comprises, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion sources.

[0090] It is understood that at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source of this storage stabilizer can be any material that contains potassium ions as cations and preferably consists of them.

[0091] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one potassium ion source is water-soluble or water-dispersible.

[0092] At least one source of potassium ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible. The terms "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" or "dispersible in water" in the context of the present invention refer to a system in which only a part of the potassium ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., only a part of the particles of at least one potassium ion source dissolves in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one potassium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of 0.1 g or less after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. The term "water-soluble" or "soluble in water" in the context of the present invention refers to a system in which the potassium ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., the particles of at least one potassium ion source dissolve in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one potassium ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of more than 0.1 g after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. To evaluate whether the source of potassium ions is an insoluble or soluble substance in the context of the present invention, the sample size is greater than 0.1 g, preferably more than 0.5 g.

[0093] The term "source (supply source)" of potassium ions in the context of the present invention refers to a compound that contains potassium ions, i.e., potassium cations, and preferably consists of them.

[0094] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source is preferably provided in the form of at least one potassium salt. Preferably, the anionic group of at least one potassium salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonate, chloride, hydroxide, phosphate, citrate, maleate, acetate, lactate, and mixtures thereof. In particular, at least one potassium salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, potassium hydroxide, potassium phosphate, potassium citrate, potassium maleate, potassium acetate, potassium lactate, polymeric salts of potassium, and mixtures thereof.

[0095] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source is preferably potassium carbonate.

[0096] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source is a polymeric salt of potassium, such as an acrylic copolymer such as an acrylic homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, a polyphosphate, and mixtures thereof, and is present as a polymeric salt of potassium having a plurality of acidic sites that can be partially or wholly neutralized with potassium ions.

[0097] The polymeric salt of potassium is preferably partially or completely neutralized, preferably to an extent of 5.0 to 100.0%, preferably to an extent of 25.0 to 100.0%, most preferably to an extent of 75.0 to 100.0%, using a neutralizing agent containing potassium and optionally other alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal ions. In one embodiment, the acidic sites of the polymeric salt of potassium are neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing only potassium. Neutralized polyacrylates and / or polymethacrylates having an average molecular weight of 50,000 or less, preferably in the range of 1,000 to 25,000, more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 12,000 are particularly suitable.

[0098] Such potassium ion sources are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available. For example, from Sigma Aldrich, it is commercially available under the product name Kaliumcarbonat, ACS reagent, ≥99.0%, 209619.

[0099] The term "at least one" water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in the context of the present invention means that the source contains, preferably consists of, one or more water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion sources.

[0100] In one embodiment of the present invention, the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source contains, preferably consists of, one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Alternatively, the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion sources. For example, the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or three water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion sources. Preferably, the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source contains, preferably consists of, two or more water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion sources.

[0101] It is understood that at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source of the storage stabilizer of the present invention can be any material that contains, preferably consists of, zinc ions as cations.

[0102] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one source of zinc ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible.

[0103] At least one source of zinc ions is water-soluble or water-dispersible. The terms "water-insoluble" or "water-dispersible" or "dispersible in water" in the context of the present invention refer to a system in which only a part of the zinc ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., only a part of the particles of at least one zinc ion source dissolves in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one zinc ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of 0.1 g or less after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. The terms "water-soluble" or "soluble in water" in the context of the present invention refer to a system in which the zinc ion source forms a solution with water, i.e., the particles of at least one zinc ion source dissolve in the solvent. More precisely, when at least one zinc ion source is mixed with 100 mL of deionized water and filtered at 20 °C to recover the liquid filtrate, this liquid filtrate provides a recovered solid material of more than 0.1 g after evaporation of 100 g of this liquid filtrate at 95 - 100 °C. To evaluate whether the source of zinc ions is an insoluble or soluble substance in the context of the present invention, the sample size is greater than 0.1 g, preferably more than 0.5 g.

[0104] The term "source" of zinc ions in the context of the present invention refers to a compound containing zinc ions, i.e., zinc cations, preferably consisting of the same.

[0105] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible source of zinc ions is preferably provided in the form of at least one zinc salt. Preferably, the anionic group of at least one zinc salt is selected from the group consisting of carbonate, oxide, chloride, hydroxide, phosphate, citrate, maleate, acetate, lactate, and mixtures thereof. In particular, at least one zinc salt is selected from the group consisting of zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, zinc chloride, zinc hydroxide, zinc phosphate, zinc citrate, zinc maleate, zinc acetate, zinc lactate, polymeric salts of zinc, and mixtures thereof.

[0106] According to a preferred embodiment, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is preferably zinc carbonate, zinc oxide or zinc hydroxide. Preferably, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is zinc oxide.

[0107] Furthermore, or alternatively, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is a polymer salt of zinc, such as an acrylic copolymer such as an acrylic homopolymer, a copolymer of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, a polyphosphate and mixtures thereof, and is present as a polymer salt of zinc having a plurality of acidic sites that can be partially or completely neutralized with zinc ions. The polymer salt of zinc is preferably selected from zinc polyacrylate.

[0108] The polymer salt of zinc is preferably partially or completely neutralized, preferably to an extent of 5.0 to 100.0%, preferably to an extent of 25.0 to 100.0%, most preferably to an extent of 75.0 to 100.0%, using a neutralizing agent containing zinc and optionally other alkali metal and / or alkaline earth metal ions. In one embodiment, the acidic sites of the polymer salt of zinc are neutralized using a neutralizing agent containing only zinc. Neutralized polyacrylates and / or polymethacrylates having an average molecular weight of 50,000 or less, preferably in the range of 1,000 to 25,000, more preferably in the range of 3,000 to 12,000 are particularly suitable.

[0109] Such zinc ion sources are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available, for example, from Sigma Aldrich under the trade name Zinkoxid, puriss, P.a., ACS reagent, ≧99.0% (KT).

[0110] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage includes two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0111] For example, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage includes, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0112] Alternatively, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage preferably includes, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0113] Alternatively, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage preferably consists of a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0114] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage preferably comprises, and preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source.

[0115] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage preferably comprises, and preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source.

[0116] According to one embodiment, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, and preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source; or a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source; or a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source; or a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source; or a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source; or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0117] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, three different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0118] For example, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source.

[0119] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0120] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0121] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0122] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0123] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0124] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0125] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0126] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0127] Alternatively, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source.

[0128] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, four different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. According to a preferred embodiment, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0129] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, five different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. More precisely, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

[0130] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, namely, (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, or a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, or (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source combined with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source and preferably consists of the foregoing.

[0131] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, namely, (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, or (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source and preferably consists of the same.

[0132] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, namely, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, and preferably consists of the same, wherein the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is at least one bismuth salt, and preferably, this at least one bismuth salt is selected from the group consisting of bismuth carbonate, bismuth subcarbonate, bismuth oxide, bismuth hydroxide, bismuth chloride, bismuth iodide, bismuth phosphate, bismuth citrate, bismuth acetate, bismuth lactate, bismuth subsalicylate, bismuth polymer salts and mixtures thereof; the bismuth polymer salts are preferably selected from bismuth salts of acrylic homopolymers, bismuth salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, bismuth salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof; The water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is at least one magnesium salt, preferably, the at least one magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium phosphate, magnesium citrate, magnesium maleate, magnesium acetate, magnesium lactate, polymeric salts of magnesium and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salt of magnesium is preferably selected from the group consisting of magnesium salts of acrylic homopolymers, magnesium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, magnesium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof; The water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is at least one sodium salt, preferably, the at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium maleate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, polymeric salts of sodium and mixtures thereof, and the polymeric salt of sodium is preferably selected from the group consisting of sodium salts of acrylic homopolymers, sodium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, sodium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, namely, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, preferably bismuth oxide, in combination with, preferably consisting of, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, preferably magnesium carbonate, or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, preferably sodium carbonate.

[0133] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage preferably comprises, preferably consists of, at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, i.e., a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, preferably consisting of, wherein the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is at least one sodium salt, preferably, this at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium maleate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, sodium polymer salts and mixtures thereof, and the sodium polymer salts are preferably selected from the group consisting of sodium salts of acrylic homopolymers, sodium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, sodium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof; the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is at least one zinc salt, more preferably, this at least one zinc salt is selected from the group consisting of zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, zinc chloride, zinc hydroxide, zinc phosphate, zinc citrate, zinc maleate, zinc acetate, zinc lactate, zinc polymer salts and mixtures thereof, and the zinc polymer salts are preferably selected from the group consisting of zinc salts of acrylic homopolymers, zinc salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, zinc salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources, i.e., a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, preferably sodium carbonate, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, preferably zinc oxide, and preferably consists of.

[0134] According to one embodiment of the present invention, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, preferably consisting of the same, provided that when the first water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, the second water-soluble or water-dispersible ion source is not sodium carbonate and / or sodium bicarbonate.

[0135] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer of the present invention is in solid form, preferably in the form of a granular material. The term "solid" as used in the present invention refers to a raw material that is solid under standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP) referring to a temperature of 298.15 K (25 °C) and an absolute pressure of 1 bar (0.1 MPa). The solid can be in the form of a powder, tablet, granule, flake, or the like.

[0136] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer is present in a liquid medium. Thus, the term "liquid medium" refers to a raw material that is liquid under standard ambient temperature and pressure (SATP) referring to a temperature of 298.15 K (25 °C) and an absolute pressure of 1 bar (0.1 MPa). According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains water and forms a solution or dispersion or slurry.

[0137] The term "solution" in the meaning of the present invention refers to a storage stabilizer dissolved in water in which no separated solid particles are observed in the solvent, that is, a liquid containing water is formed, where the water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and / or the water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and / or the water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source and / or the water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source and / or the water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is dissolved in water.

[0138] The term "dispersion" or "suspension" in the context of the present invention refers to a storage stabilizer dissolved in water, where at least a portion of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and / or a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and / or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source and / or a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source and / or a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source exists as an insoluble solid in water.

[0139] In addition to water, further solvents may be present in the liquid phase. The solvent is a water-miscible organic solvent, preferably selected from the group including methanol, ethanol, acetone, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran, and mixtures thereof.

[0140] For example, the liquid phase contains water and at least one water-miscible organic solvent in an amount of 0.1 to 40.0% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 30.0% by weight, more preferably 0.1 to 20.0% by weight, and most preferably 0.1 to 10.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the liquid phase. According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer consists only of water as the liquid phase and does not contain further solvents.

[0141] In consideration of this, the storage stabilizer may be undiluted, i.e., in a concentrated form. In another aspect of the present invention, the storage stabilizer is diluted to an appropriate concentration. In the diluted form, the storage stabilizer is preferably dissolved in water, where the corresponding diluted composition preferably contains 0.001 to 20.0% by weight of the storage stabilizer, most preferably 0.01 to 15% by weight of the storage stabilizer, based on the total weight of the composition.

[0142] The storage stabilizer is preferably evenly distributed in water and any organic solvent. However, in order to avoid excessive dilution of the storage stabilizer, it is preferable to keep the water content in the storage stabilizer as low as possible, or as low as necessary.

[0143] Each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0144] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains water and preferably at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and / or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and / or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source and / or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source and / or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, each of which is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0145] That is, the storage stabilizer preferably contains water and: (a) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water, and / or (b) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water, and / or (c) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water, and / or (d) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, and / or (e) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, provided that there are at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources.

[0146] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer preferably comprises water and: (a) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, and / or (b) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, and / or (c) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, and / or (d) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, and / or (e) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in the amount of 1000 - 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 - 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 - 7000 ppm, It consists of, provided that at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources are present.

[0147] In the absence of any other indication, it is understood that the term "ppm" is calculated with respect to the weight of water.

[0148] It is understood that the amount of each of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source can vary within a wide range in the storage stabilizer.

[0149] In one preferred embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm calculated with respect to the weight of water.

[0150] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm calculated with respect to the weight of water.

[0151] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm calculated with respect to the weight of water.

[0152] In another preferred embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0153] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0154] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in an amount of 2000 - 7000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0155] In another preferred embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0156] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0157] In another embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in an amount of 2500 - 5000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0158] According to an exemplary embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in an amount of 8000 ppm, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, in an amount of 2000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water. Alternatively, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in an amount of 7000 ppm, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, in an amount of 1750 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water. Alternatively, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in an amount of 6000 ppm, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, in an amount of 1500 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water. Alternatively, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in an amount of 5000 ppm, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, in an amount of 1250 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water. Alternatively, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in an amount of 4000 ppm, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, in an amount of 1000 ppm calculated based on the weight of the water.

[0159] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains water and preferably has a pH value in the range of 3 to 14, preferably 5 to 14, more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11.

[0160] The pH value is measured at 25 °C using a Mettler Toledo Seven Easy pH meter and a Mettler Toledo InLab Expert Pro pH electrode. The three-point calibration (by the segment method) of the device is first performed using commercially available buffer solutions (manufactured by Aldrich) having pH values of 4, 7, and 10 at 25 °C. The reported pH value is the end-point value detected by the device (the signal differs by less than 0.1 mV from the average of the last 6 seconds).

[0161] According to another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the weight ratio of at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5. For example, the weight ratio of at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is from 4:1 to 1:4.

[0162] Furthermore, or alternatively, the weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source [Bi / Na] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or the weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source [Bi / Mg] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or the weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source [Bi / Zn] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or the weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source [Mg / Na] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source [Mg / Zn] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source [Na / Zn] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source [Bi / K] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source [Mg / K] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source [Na / K] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4, or The weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion [Zn / K] is from 100:1 to 1:100, preferably from 10:1 to 1:10, most preferably from 5:1 to 1:5, for example from 4:1 to 1:4.

[0163] According to a preferred embodiment, the storage stabilizer comprises, preferably consists of, water and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, such as sodium carbonate, in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, such as zinc oxide, wherein the weight ratio of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source to at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source [Na / Zn] is from 3:1 to 5:1, preferably from 3.5:1 to 4.5:1, and most preferably 4:1.

[0164] According to the exemplified method of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Preferably, the storage stabilizer comprises water, and preferably each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0165] According to the exemplified method of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in combination with at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. Further, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source. Preferably, the storage stabilizer comprises water, and preferably each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0166] According to the exemplified method of the present invention, the storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source. Preferably, the storage stabilizer comprises water, and preferably each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water.

[0167] According to another exemplary method of the present invention, a storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage comprises, preferably consists of, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source. Preferably, the storage stabilizer contains water, and preferably each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 5000 ppm, calculated relative to the weight of water.

[0168] The inventors have surprisingly found that the storage stabilizer of the present invention can stabilize an aqueous composition during storage. More precisely, the storage stabilizer stabilizes the aqueous composition for a defined period of time against pH changes and / or against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages. Thus, one additive can be used to stabilize the aqueous composition for a defined period of time against pH changes or to prevent the growth of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages, and thus there is no need to make a functional distinction between these two, so the storage stabilizer is easy to handle. According to a preferred embodiment, only one additive, namely only the storage stabilizer, is required to fulfill two functionalities, namely the stabilization of the pH value and the reduction or prevention of microbial growth. Furthermore, no additional antibacterial agent is required in addition to the storage stabilizer to prevent or reduce microbial growth. Furthermore, the storage stabilizer of the present invention is easy to handle, inexpensive and non-toxic to humans, animals and / or the environment. Furthermore, the storage stabilizer is insensitive to spoilage by pH or temperature and is inert to chemical reactions.

[0169] Additional additive According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer does not contain at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible lithium ion source. Accordingly, there is no lithium ion in the storage stabilizer. For the purposes of the present invention, the term lithium ion "source" in the context of the present invention refers to a compound that contains, preferably consists of, lithium ions, i.e., lithium cations.

[0170] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer contains a further additive selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a binder, a thickener, a rheology additive, and an antifoaming agent. Such further additives are known to those skilled in the art and are commercially available.

[0171] According to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer further contains at least one dispersant for keeping the water-dispersible ion source in a dispersed state when water or a solvent is present in the storage stabilizer. Suitable dispersants according to the present invention are preferably homopolymers or copolymers made of monomers and / or comonomers selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, fumaric acid, maleic anhydride, isocrotonic acid, aconitic acid (cis or trans), mesaconic acid, sinapic acid, undecylenic acid, angelic acid, canellic acid, hydroxyacrylic acid, acrolein, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, styrene, esters of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof, wherein salts of poly(acrylic acid) and / or poly(methacrylic acid) are preferred as the dispersant. The dispersant can be present in the storage stabilizer in an amount of 0.001 to 15% by weight, preferably 0.01 to 10% by weight, and most preferably 0.1 to 7.5% by weight, based on the total weight of the storage stabilizer.

[0172] Aqueous formulation A storage stabilizer is preferably used to stabilize an aqueous formulation during storage. "Stabilizing during storage" means stabilizing the aqueous composition against pH changes and / or against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages over a defined period of time. More precisely, by stabilizing during storage, an aqueous composition stored at rest at 25 °C does not exhibit a change in pH value exceeding ±2 pH-units, preferably not exceeding ±1 pH-unit, and / or prevents or reduces the growth of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages over at least 15 days. The aqueous formulation can be any kind of aqueous formulation that requires stabilization during storage.

[0173] More precisely, the aqueous formulation contains a storage stabilizer.

[0174] Regarding the definition of the storage stabilizer and its preferred embodiments, reference is made to the description provided above when discussing the technical details of the storage stabilizer of the present invention.

[0175] The aqueous formulation is preferably a paper formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metalworking fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

[0176] The term "aqueous" formulation refers to a system in which the liquid phase of the formulation or composition contains water and preferably consists of water. However, the term does not exclude that the aqueous formulation or composition preferably contains an organic solvent selected from the group consisting of methanol, ethanol, acetone, acetonitrile, tetrahydrofuran and mixtures thereof. If the aqueous formulation or composition contains an organic solvent, the aqueous formulation or composition contains the organic solvent in an amount of up to 40.0% by weight, preferably 0.1 - 30.0% by weight, most preferably 0.1 - 20.0% by weight, and preferably 0.1 - 10% by weight, based on the total weight of the liquid phase of the aqueous formulation or composition.

[0177] According to a preferred embodiment, the liquid phase of the aqueous formulation or composition consists of water. When the liquid phase of the aqueous formulation or composition consists of water, the water used may be any available water such as tap water and / or deionized water.

[0178] Thus, the aqueous formulation (a) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source and / or (b) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, and / or (c) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, and / or (d) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and / or (e) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, and (f) water, and (g) any additional materials and / or additives, provided that the aqueous composition contains at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources.

[0179] According to one embodiment of the present invention, the storage stabilizer of the present invention stabilizes the pH value of the aqueous formulation, and the aqueous formulation is stored for at least 15 days, preferably at least 20 days, more preferably at least 30 days, even more preferably at least 60 days, and most preferably 90 days in the presence of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages.

[0180] More precisely, when stored statically at 25°C, the aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer does not exhibit a change in pH value exceeding ±2 pH-units, preferably not exceeding ±1 pH-unit, and / or prevents or reduces the growth of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages for at least 15 days, preferably at least 20 days, more preferably at least 30 days, even more preferably at least 60 days, and most preferably 90 days.

[0181] The pH value is measured at 25 °C using a Mettler Toledo Seven Easy pH meter and a Mettler Toledo InLab Expert Pro pH electrode. The three-point calibration (by the segment method) of the device is first performed using commercially available buffer solutions (manufactured by Aldrich) having pH values of 4, 7 and 10 at 25 °C. The reported pH value is the end point value detected by the device (the signal differs by less than 0.1 mV from the average of the last 6 seconds).

[0182] According to the present invention, the term "preventing the growth of microorganisms" means that in the presence of a storage stabilizer, in an aqueous formulation, no significant growth of microorganisms such as at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and mixtures thereof, and viruses and / or bacteriophages is observed. This preferably results in no increase in the cfu value in the treated aqueous formulation compared to the formulation immediately prior to treatment, more preferably results in a decrease in the value to less than 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation, and even more preferably results in a decrease in the value to 80 - 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation using the bacterial counting method described in the Examples section herein. It is understood that the final aqueous formulation (i.e., the aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer) is diluted 10-fold and then 100 μL of the diluted composition is plated out to evaluate microbial growth.

[0183] According to the present invention, the term "reducing microbial growth" means that in the presence of a storage stabilizer, in an aqueous formulation, the growth of microorganisms such as at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and at least one strain of their mixtures, as well as viruses and / or bacteriophages, is slower. This preferably results in a lower cfu value in the treated aqueous formulation compared to the formulation without the storage stabilizer before treatment, and more preferably, using the bacterial counting method described in the Examples section of this specification, results in a value of less than 100 cfu per 1 mL or 1 g of the aqueous formulation. It is understood that the final aqueous formulation (i.e., the aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer) is diluted 10-fold, then 100 μL of the diluted composition is plated out to evaluate microbial growth.

[0184] Preferably, the storage stabilizer is effective against microorganisms selected from the group consisting of at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and at least one strain of their mixtures, as well as viruses and bacteriophages.

[0185] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one strain of bacteria is selected from the group consisting of Gram-negative bacteria, Gram-positive bacteria and mixtures thereof.

[0186] Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria are well-known in the art and are understood to be described, for example, in Biology of Microorganisms, "Brock", Madigan MT, Martinko JM, Parker J, 1997, 8th edition. In particular, such bacteria have bacterial species that are evolutionarily very distantly related, each containing many bacterial families. Gram-negative bacteria are characterized by two membranes (outer membrane and inner membrane), while Gram-positive bacteria contain only one membrane. Usually, the former contains a large amount of lipopolysaccharide and a thin monolayer of peptidoglycan, while the latter contains substantially no lipopolysaccharide, contains multiple layers of thick peptidoglycan, and the capsule contains teichoic acid. Due to these differences, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria react differently to environmental influences. Methods for distinguishing Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria include identifying the species by DNA sequencing or biochemical property evaluation. Alternatively, the number of membranes can be directly determined by transmission electron microscopy of thin sections.

[0187] The term "at least one strain of bacteria" in the context of the present invention means that the bacterial strain includes, preferably consists of, one or more strains of bacteria.

[0188] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one strain of bacteria includes, preferably consists of, one strain of bacteria. Alternatively, at least one strain of bacteria includes, preferably consists of, two or more strains of bacteria. For example, at least one strain of bacteria includes, preferably consists of, two or three strains of bacteria. Preferably, at least one strain of bacteria includes, preferably consists of, two or more strains of bacteria.

[0189] In one embodiment, the storage stabilizer is a bacterium of the genus Pseudomonas, such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas putida, Pseudomonas stutzeri, Pseudomonas mendocina, Pseudomonas oleovorans subsp., Oleovorans, and mixtures thereof; a bacterium of the genus Burkholderia, such as Burkholderia cepacia; a bacterium of the genus Escherichia, such as Escherichia coli; a bacterium of the genus Alcaligenes, such as Alcaligenes faecalis; a bacterium of the genus Staphylococcus, such as Staphylococcus aureus; a bacterium of the genus Enterococcus, such as Enterococcus faecalis; a bacterium of the genus Bacillus, such as Bacillus halodurans; a bacterium of the genus Salmonella; Legionella, Comomonas aquatica, Brevundimonas intermedia, Rhizobium radiobacter, Spingobium yanoikuyae, a bacterium of the genus Caldimonas, a bacterium of the genus Hydrogenophaga sp.)、It is effective against at least one strain of bacteria selected from the group consisting of Alishewanella agri, Arthrobacter sp., Chryseomicrobium amylolyticum, Microbacterium sp., Exiguobacterium aurantiacum, and mixtures thereof.

[0190] For example, the storage stabilizer is effective against at least one strain of bacteria selected from the group comprising Pseudomonas sp., such as Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Pseudomonas pseudoalcaligenes, Pseudomonas putida, and mixtures thereof; Burkholderia sp., such as Burkholderia cepacia; Escherichia spp., such as Escherichia coli; Alcaligenes sp., such as Alcaligenes faecalis; Staphylococcus sp., such as Staphylococcus aureus; Enterococcus sp., such as Enterococcus faecalis; Bacillus sp., such as Bacillus halodurans; Salmonella sp.; Legionella, and mixtures thereof.

[0191] Furthermore, or alternatively, the storage stabilizer is Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia membranifaciens, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., such as Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus brasiliensis, and mixtures thereof; Penicillium sp., such as Penicillium pinophilum, Penicillium funiculosum, and mixtures thereof; Aureobasidium pullulans, Geotrichum sp., Acremonium sp., Alternaria sp., Cladosporium sp., Mucor sp., Rhizopus sp., Stachybotrys sp., Trichoderma sp., Dematiaceae sp., Phoma sp., Eurotium sp., Scopulariopsis sp., Aureobasidium sp., Monilia sp., Botrytis sp., Stemphylium sp., Chaetomium sp., Mycelia sp., Neurospora sp., Ulocladium sp., Paecilomyces sp., Wallemia sp.)、It is effective against at least one strain selected from the group comprising Curvularia sp. and mixtures thereof.

[0192] For example, the storage stabilizer is effective against at least one strain of fungi selected from the group comprising Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia membranifaciens, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, Fusarium sp., Aspergillus sp., and mixtures thereof.

[0193] It is understood that molds and yeasts are subspecies of fungi. Therefore, at least one strain of fungi can be at least one strain of mold or at least one strain of yeast.

[0194] Accordingly, the storage stabilizer may be effective against at least one mold selected from the group consisting of Acremonium sp., Alternaria sp., Aspergillus sp., Cladosporium sp., Fusarium sp., Mucor sp., Penicillium sp., Rhizopus sp., Stachybotrys sp., Trichoderma sp., Dematiaceae sp., Phoma sp., Eurotium sp., Scopulariopsis sp., Aureobasidium sp., Monilia sp., Botrytis sp., Stemphylium sp., Chaetomium sp., Mycelia sp., Neurospora sp., Ulocladium sp., Paecilomyces sp., Wallemia sp., Curvularia sp., and mixtures thereof.

[0195] The term "at least one strain of mold" in the context of the present invention means that the strain of mold includes, preferably consists of, one or more strains of mold.

[0196] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one strain of mold comprises, preferably consists of, one strain of mold. Alternatively, at least one strain of mold comprises, preferably consists of, two or more strains of mold. For example, at least one strain of mold comprises, preferably consists of, two or three strains of mold. Preferably, at least one strain of mold comprises, preferably consists of, two or more strains of mold.

[0197] Furthermore, or alternatively, the storage stabilizer may be effective against at least one strain of yeast selected from the group consisting of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Pichia membranifaciens, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and mixtures thereof.

[0198] The term "at least one strain of yeast" in the context of the present invention means that the strain of yeast comprises, preferably consists of, one or more strains of yeast.

[0199] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one strain of yeast comprises, preferably consists of, one strain of yeast. Alternatively, at least one strain of yeast comprises, preferably consists of, two or more strains of yeast. For example, at least one strain of yeast comprises, preferably consists of, two or three strains of yeast. Preferably, at least one strain of yeast comprises, preferably consists of, two or more strains of yeast.

[0200] Furthermore, or alternatively, the storage stabilizer may be effective against at least one strain of algae selected from the group consisting of Chlorella vulgaris, Chlorella emersonii, Stichococcus bacillaris, Pleurococcus sp., Anacystis montana, and mixtures thereof.

[0201] The term "at least one strain of algae" in the context of the present invention means that the strain of algae includes and preferably consists of one or more strains of algae.

[0202] In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one strain of algae includes and preferably consists of one strain of algae. Alternatively, the at least one strain of algae includes and preferably consists of two or more strains of algae. For example, the at least one strain of algae includes and preferably consists of two or three strains of algae. Preferably, the at least one strain of algae includes and preferably consists of two or more strains of algae.

[0203] Surprisingly, the storage stabilizer of the present invention stabilizes the pH value of an aqueous formulation for at least 15 days, preferably at least 20 days, more preferably at least 30 days, even more preferably at least 60 days, and most preferably 90 days, without using conventional antibacterial agents that may be toxic and / or harmful to humans, animals, and / or the environment, and the formulation shows no change in pH value exceeding ±2 pH-units, preferably no change in pH value exceeding ±1 pH-unit, and / or prevents or reduces the microbial growth of microorganisms, viruses, and / or bacteriophages.

[0204] Therefore, the storage stabilizer and the aqueous formulation preferably do not contain antibacterial agents selected from the group consisting of phenols, halogenated phenols, halogen-containing compounds, halogen-releasing compounds, isothiazolinones, aldehyde-containing compounds, aldehyde-releasing compounds, guanidines, sulfones, thiocyanates, pyrithiones, antibiotics such as β-lactam antibiotics, quaternary ammonium salts, peroxides, perchlorates, amides, amines, heavy metals (other than zinc ions), biocidal enzymes, biocidal polypeptides, azoles, carbamates, glyphosate, sulfonamides, and mixtures thereof. Such antibacterial agents are well known to those skilled in the art.

[0205] However, it should be noted that it is not excluded that the storage stabilizer further contains a small amount of one or more antibacterial compounds.

[0206] According to one embodiment of the present invention, in the storage stabilizer of the present invention, each of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is present in the aqueous formulation in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of the water in the aqueous formulation, provided that at least two different aqueous solution or water-dispersible ion sources are present.

[0207] That is, storage stabilization is achieved by having in the aqueous formulation (a) at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of the water, and / or (b) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source in the amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably in the amount of 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably in the amount of 2000 to 7000 ppm, and / or (c) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in the amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably in the amount of 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably in the amount of 2000 to 7000 ppm, and / or (d) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source in the amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably in the amount of 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably in the amount of 2000 to 7000 ppm, and / or (e) Calculated based on the weight of water, an amount of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source in the amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably in the amount of 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably in the amount of 2000 to 7000 ppm are present in an amount such that, provided that at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources are present.

[0208] According to another embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous formulation preferably contains at least one inorganic particulate matter.

[0209] The term "at least one" inorganic particulate matter in the meaning of the present invention means that the inorganic particulate matter contains, preferably consists of, one or more inorganic particulate matters.

[0210] In one embodiment of the present invention, the at least one inorganic particulate matter contains, preferably consists of, one inorganic particulate matter. Alternatively, the at least one inorganic particulate matter contains, preferably consists of, two or more inorganic particulate matters. For example, the at least one inorganic particulate matter contains, preferably consists of, two or three inorganic particulate matters. Preferably, the at least one inorganic particulate matter contains, preferably consists of, one inorganic particulate matter.

[0211] For example, at least one inorganic particle material is selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate, natural and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate, surface-modified calcium carbonate, dolomite, kaolin, clay, barite, talcum, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum silicate, titanium dioxide, hydromagnesite, perlite, sepiolite, brucite, and mixtures thereof.

[0212] In one embodiment of the present invention, at least one inorganic particulate material comprises natural ground calcium carbonate and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate and / or surface-modified calcium carbonate. Preferably, at least one inorganic particle material comprises natural ground calcium carbonate and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate.

[0213] "Ground calcium carbonate" (GCC) in the meaning of the present invention is calcium carbonate obtained from natural sources such as limestone, marble or chalk and treated by processes such as wet and / or dry grinding, screening and / or classification, for example by a cyclone or classifier.

[0214] "Precipitated calcium carbonate" (PCC) in the meaning of the present invention is generally a synthetic raw material obtained by precipitation following the reaction of carbon dioxide and lime in an aqueous environment or by precipitation of a source of calcium and carbonate ions in water.

[0215] "Surface-modified calcium carbonate" may be characterized by surface-reacted GCC or PCC. Surface-reacted calcium carbonate provides GCC or PCC in the form of an aqueous suspension and can be prepared by adding an acid to this suspension. Suitable acids are, for example, sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid, phosphoric acid, citric acid, oxalic acid, or mixtures thereof. In the next step, the calcium carbonate is treated with gaseous carbon dioxide. When a strong acid such as sulfuric acid or hydrochloric acid is used in the acid treatment step, carbon dioxide is automatically formed in situ. Alternatively or additionally, carbon dioxide can be supplied from an external source. Surface-reacted calcium carbonate is described, for example, in U.S. Patent Application Publication No. 2012 / 0031576 A1, International Publication No. 2009 / 074492 A1, European Patent Application Publication No. 2264109 A1, European Patent Application Publication No. 2070991 A1, European Patent Application Publication No. 2264108 A1, International Publication No. 00 / 39222 A1, International Publication No. 2004 / 083316 A1, or International Publication No. 2005 / 121257 A2.

[0216] Natural ground calcium carbonate and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate and / or surface-modified calcium carbonate may additionally be surface-treated or may contain a dispersant well-known to those skilled in the art. For example, the dispersant may be an acrylate-based dispersant.

[0217] When the aqueous formulation contains at least one inorganic particulate matter, the at least one inorganic particulate matter can have a particle size distribution as conventionally used for materials involved in the type of product to be manufactured. Generally, 90% of the particles have an equivalent spherical diameter (esd) of less than 5 μm, measured by the well-known technique of sedimentation using a Sedigraph® 5120 series of Micromeritics. Coarse inorganic particulate matter can generally (i.e., at least 90% by weight) have a particle esd in the range of 1 - 5 μm. Fine inorganic particulate matter can generally have a particle esd of less than 2 μm, for example, 50.0 - 99.0% by weight can have a particle esd of less than 2 μm, preferably 60.0 - 90.0% by weight can have a particle esd of less than 2 μm. The at least one inorganic particulate matter in the aqueous formulation, when measured using a Sedigraph® 5120 of Micromeritics Instrument Corporation, preferably has a weight median particle size d 50 value in the range of 0.1 - 5 μm, more preferably 0.2 - 2 μm, most preferably 0.35 - 1 μm, for example 0.7 μm.

[0218] The "particle size" of the particulate matter herein is described by its distribution of particle size d x (wt). Here, the d x (wt) value represents the diameter with respect to the diameter at which x% by weight of the particles have a diameter less than d x (wtl). This means, for example, that the d 20 (wt) value is such that 20% by weight of all the particles have a particle size smaller than that diameter. Thus, the d 50 (wt) value is the weight median particle size, i.e., 50% by weight of all the particles have a particle size smaller than that diameter, and the d 98 (wtl) value is called the top cut particle size on a weight basis, and 98% by weight of all the particles have a particle size smaller than that diameter. The weight-based median particle size d 50 (wt) and the top cut d 98(wt) is measured by the sedimentation method, which is the analysis of sedimentation behavior in the field of weight measurement. The measurement is carried out using a Sedigraph® 5120 from Micromeritics Instrument Corporation, USA. This method and apparatus are known to those skilled in the art and are commonly used to determine the particle size distribution. The measurement is performed in an aqueous solution of 0.1 wt% Na4P2O7. The sample is dispersed using a high-speed stirrer and ultrasonic treatment.

[0219] In order to keep such inorganic particulate matter dispersed in the aqueous formulation and thus ensure that the viscosity of the formulation remains substantially the same over time, additives such as dispersants can be used. Suitable dispersants according to the present invention are preferably homopolymers or copolymers made from monomers and / or comonomers selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, itaconic acid, crotonic acid, fumaric acid, maleic anhydride, isocrotonic acid, aconitic acid (cis or trans), mesaconic acid, sinapic acid, undecylenic acid, angelic acid, canellic acid, hydroxyacrylic acid, acrolein, acrylamide, acrylonitrile, dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, vinyl pyrrolidone, styrene, esters of acrylic acid and methacrylic acid, and mixtures thereof, wherein salts of poly(acrylic acid) and / or poly(methacrylic acid) are preferred as dispersants.

[0220] Furthermore, or alternatively, the aqueous formulation contains at least one organic particulate material. For example, the at least one organic material is selected from the group comprising carbohydrates such as CMC (carboxymethyl cellulose) or starch, sugars, cellulose, modified cellulose and cellulose-based pulp, glycerol, hydrocarbons, and mixtures thereof.

[0221] In one embodiment of the present invention, the aqueous formulation contains at least one inorganic particulate material, preferably at least one inorganic particulate material selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate, natural and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate, surface-modified calcium carbonate, dolomite, kaolin, clay, barite, talcum, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum silicate, titanium dioxide, hydro magnesite, perlite, sepiolite, brucite, and mixtures thereof, and most preferably, the at least one inorganic particulate material contains natural ground calcium carbonate and / or synthetic precipitated calcium carbonate.

[0222] Accordingly, the aqueous formulation is preferably an aqueous suspension or slurry. It is understood that the solids content of the aqueous formulation can be up to 85.0% by weight. For example, the solids content of the aqueous formulation is 10.0 to 82.0% by weight, more preferably 20.0 to 80.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous formulation.

[0223] The total solids content in the meaning of this application corresponds to the residual weight of the aqueous formulation after drying at 105°C for 3 hours, measured in a sample of at least 3 - 5 g.

[0224] The pH of the aqueous formulation can vary over a wide range and is preferably within the pH range typically observed for such aqueous formulations. Accordingly, it is understood that the aqueous formulation preferably has a pH value of 3 to 14, more preferably 5 to 14, even more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11.

[0225] Typically, the aqueous formulation preferably has a viscosity of 50 to 2000 mPa·s, preferably 80 to 800 mPa·s. For this purpose, the Brookfield viscosity is measured by a Brookfield DV-II+Pro viscometer at 25°C ± 1°C, 100 rpm, using the appropriate spindle from the Brookfield RV spindle set and specified in mPa·s.

[0226] The aqueous formulations according to the invention can be produced by methods known in the art, for example, by adding a water-insoluble solid, preferably an inorganic particulate substance, and, where appropriate, a dispersant and, where appropriate, further additives to water and dispersing, suspending or slurrying them.

[0227] Method for stabilizing an aqueous formulation during storage The invention also relates to a method for stabilizing an aqueous formulation during storage, which method comprises the following steps: (a) providing an aqueous formulation, preferably a paper formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metal working fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation; (b) providing a storage stabilizer as defined above; and (c) contacting and mixing the aqueous formulation of step (a) with the storage stabilizer of step (b) in any order to obtain a stabilized aqueous formulation.

[0228] For the definitions of the aqueous formulation, the storage stabilizer, the microorganisms, the viruses and / or the bacteriophages, and their preferred embodiments, reference is made to the description provided above when discussing the technical details of the aqueous formulation and the storage stabilizer of the invention.

[0229] According to step (c) of the method of the invention, the aqueous formulation of step (a) is contacted and mixed with the storage stabilizer of step (b).

[0230] Generally, the aqueous formulation of step (a) and at least one storage stabilizer of step (b) can be contacted by any conventional means known to those skilled in the art.

[0231] It is understood that step (c) is preferably carried out by adding the storage stabilizer of step (b) to the aqueous formulation of step (a).

[0232] Preferably, step (c) is carried out by adding a storage stabilizer to the aqueous formulation under mixing. Sufficient mixing can be achieved by shaking the aqueous formulation or by stirring, which may provide more thorough mixing. In one embodiment of the present invention, step (c) is carried out under stirring to ensure complete mixing of the aqueous formulation and the storage stabilizer. Such stirring can be carried out continuously or discontinuously.

[0233] In one embodiment, step (c) is carried out such that the storage stabilizer is added to the aqueous formulation in an amount such that each of at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources selected from the group consisting of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated relative to the weight of water in the aqueous formulation.

[0234] It is understood that the amount of each of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source can vary within a wide range in the aqueous formulation.

[0235] It should be noted that the aforementioned amounts reflect the amount of the antibacterial composition added to the aqueous formulation via at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, and are not directed to dissolved bismuth, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and zinc ions that may naturally be present in the aqueous formulation.

[0236] It is understood that the single component of the storage stabilizer can be added to the aqueous formulation as a premixed composition or in the form of a single component.

[0237] In one embodiment, the single component of the storage stabilizer can be added to the aqueous formulation in dry form or in the form of a solution or slurry or dispersion.

[0238] The amounts of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source added to the aqueous formulation can be adjusted individually according to the aqueous formulation. In particular, the amounts of the storage stabilizer and the single components therein depend on the nature and presence of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source used in the aqueous formulation. The optimal amounts employed within the defined ranges can be determined by preliminary tests and a series of tests on a laboratory scale and by supplementary pilot tests.

[0239] It is understood that step (c) can be repeated for 1 hour or more.

[0240] The storage stabilizer can be added to the aqueous formulation once or in several portions. When the storage stabilizer is added in several portions, the storage stabilizer can be added to the aqueous formulation in approximately equal or unequal amounts.

[0241] The aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) preferably has a solid content corresponding to the solid content of the aqueous formulation provided in step (a). Thus, it is understood that the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) preferably has a solid content of up to 85.0% by weight based on the total weight of the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c). For example, the solid content of the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) is 10.0 - 82.0% by weight, and more preferably 20.0 - 80.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c).

[0242] Furthermore, or alternatively, the pH of the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) preferably corresponds to the pH of the aqueous formulation provided in step (a). Thus, the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) preferably has a pH value of 3 - 14, more preferably 5 - 14, even more preferably 7 - 14, even more preferably 7.5 - 11.5, and most preferably 8 - 11.

[0243] Typically, the aqueous formulation obtained in step (c) preferably has a viscosity of 50 - 2000 mPa·s and preferably 80 - 800 mPa·s. For this purpose, the Brookfield viscosity is measured using an appropriate spindle from the Brookfield RV spindle set with a Brookfield DV-II+ Pro viscometer at 25°C ± 1°C and 100 rpm, and is specified in mPa·s.

[0244] Use of a storage stabilizer Accordingly, a further aspect of the present invention relates to the use of a storage stabilizer as defined herein for stabilizing the pH value of an aqueous formulation and / or for preserving the aqueous formulation against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages.

[0245] The microorganism is preferably selected from the group comprising at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and at least one strain of mixtures thereof.

[0246] The aqueous formulation is preferably a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metalworking fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

[0247] Regarding the aqueous formulation, storage stabilizer, microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages, and definitions of their preferred embodiments, refer to the description provided above when discussing the technical details of the aqueous formulation and storage stabilizer of the present invention.

[0248] The following examples are meant to illustrate the present invention without limiting the technical scope of the present invention.

Examples

[0249] Measurement method The following measurement methods are used to evaluate the parameters given in the specification, examples and claims.

[0250] BET specific surface area of the material The BET specific surface area was measured via the BET process according to ISO 9277:2010 following conditioning of the sample by heating at 250 °C for 30 minutes using nitrogen. Prior to such measurement, the sample was filtered, rinsed, and dried in an oven at 110 °C for at least 12 hours.

[0251] Particle size distribution (mass % of particles with diameter <X) and weight median diameter (d 50 ) and d 98 Value The weight median particle size and particle size mass distribution of the particulate matter were determined via a sedimentation process, i.e., analysis of sedimentation behavior in a gravitational field. The measurement was performed with a Sedigraph® 5100 from Micromeritics Instrument Corporation. This method and apparatus are known to those skilled in the art and are commonly used to determine the particle sizes of fillers and pigments. The measurement is carried out in an aqueous solution of 0.1 wt% Na4P2O7. The sample is dispersed using a high-speed stirrer and ultrasonic waves.

[0252] pH measurement The pH of the water sample is measured at 25 °C by using a Mettler Toledo Seven Easy pH meter and a Mettler Toledo InLab® Expert Pro pH electrode. The three-point calibration (by the segment method) of the apparatus was first performed using commercially available buffer solutions (manufactured by Aldrich) having pH values of 4, 7, and 10 at 20 °C. The reported pH value was the end-point value detected by the apparatus (the end point was when the measured signal differed by less than 0.1 mV from the average value in the last 6 seconds).

[0253] Brookfield viscosity All Brookfield viscosities are measured with a Brookfield DV-II viscometer equipped with an LV-3 spindle at a speed of 100 rpm and at room temperature (20 ± 3 °C) and specified in mPa·s. When the spindle is inserted into the sample, the measurement is started at a constant rotational speed of 100 rpm. The reported Brookfield viscosity value is the value displayed 60 seconds after the start of the measurement.

[0254] Amount of additive Unless otherwise stated, all amounts cited in ppm represent mg values per kilogram of water in the aqueous formulation. The concentration is further indicated in mmol / kg (millimoles per kilogram) or mol / L (moles per liter) in the water of the aqueous formulation according to the International System of Units.

[0255] Bacterial count (count of bacteria) All bacterial counts shown in the following table are either cfu / mL (colony forming units per gram) or cfu / plate (colony forming units per plate), where cfu / g was determined according to the counting method described in "Bestimmung von aeroben mesophilen Keimen", Schweizerisches Lebensmittelbuch, Chapter 56, Section 7.01, 1985 edition, revised 1988, 2 - 3 days after plating out. Unless otherwise stated, 0.1 mL of a 1:10 dilution in phosphate buffered saline (PBS; pH = 7.4, 137 mmol / L NaCl, 2.7 mmol / L KCl, 10 mmol / L Na2HPO4, 1.8 mmol / L KH2PO4) was plated out per trypticase soy agar plate (TSA, prepared using BD 236950). The TSA plates were then incubated at 30 °C for 48 hours or 72 hours. Colony forming units (cfu) were then counted and reported as cfu / plate. Counts of 100000 cfu / g and above are reported as t.c. (totally contaminated).

[0256] Solids content Solids (also known as "dry weight") are measured using a Mettler - Toledo MJ33 Moisture Analyzer with the following settings: temperature 120 °C, auto - switch off 3, standard dry, 5 - 20 g of product. This method and equipment are known to those skilled in the art.

[0257] Amount of ions All amounts of bismuth, magnesium, sodium, potassium and zinc shown in ppm correspond to mg values per kilogram of the final product.

[0258] Preparation of bacteria, yeast and mold used (Mix-all) Fresh bacterial cultures of Pseudomonas sp., a bacterium, such as Pseudomonas DSM-1707 and P. putida DSM-50906, P. pseudoalcaligenes DSM50188T, Burkholderia cepacia, such as B. cepacia ATCC-21809, Alcaligeneces faecalis, such as A. faecalis ATCC-25094, Escherichia coli DSM-1576, and Staphylococcus aureus, such as S. aureus strains DSM 346, and fresh yeast cultures of Saccharomyces cervisiae DSM-1333; Pichia membranifaciens DSM-70179, and Rhodotorula mucilaginosa DSM-18184 were prepared by inoculating 3 mL of a liquid growth medium (trypticase soy broth, such as Fluka, No. 22092) from a single colony of a stock culture and culturing at 30 °C for 16 to 20 hours with stirring at 150 revolutions per minute to a cell density of about 1×10 9 cells / mL. An overnight culture (in trypticase soy broth) of bacteria / yeast and fungi was mixed together in equal amounts, and 100 μL of the resulting mixture was added to 50 mL of a base paint (see below).

[0259] Material : · Water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source: bismuth chloride (BiCl3), CAS: 7787-60-2, bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) CAS: 1304-76-3 · Water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source: zinc oxide (ZnO) CAS: 1314-13-2 · Water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source: magnesium carbonate (MgCO3) CAS: 546-93-0 · Water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source: sodium carbonate (Na2CO3) CAS: 497-19-8 · Water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source: potassium carbonate (K2CO3) CAS: 584-08-7 · Commercially available latex paint: JONAS Farben GmbH, from Germany, a white latex paint available under the trade name 15 00 001 JONAS Seidenlatex (weiss).

[0260] Base paint The base paint formulations for testing antibacterial activity are summarized in Table 1a below.

[0261]

Table 1-1

[0262] Scraper plaster The scraper plaster formulation for testing antibacterial activity is summarized in Table 1b below. This formulation is for scraper plaster (negative structure).

[0263]

Table 1 - 2

[0264] Dispersion adhesive for wooden floors The adhesive formulations for testing antibacterial activity are summarized in Table 1c below.

[0265]

Table 1-3

[0266] Dispersion varnish The varnish formulations for testing antibacterial activity are summarized in Table 1d below

[0267]

Table 1-4

[0268] Antibacterial activity test in base paint and commercially available latex paint Samples of the base paint formulation or commercially available latex paint were mixed with different amounts of water - soluble or water - dispersible bismuth ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible magnesium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible sodium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible potassium ion sources, and water - soluble or water - dispersible zinc ion sources as shown in Table 2a, according to claim 1. All amounts shown in ppm correspond to mg / kg values of the corresponding ions based on the total weight of the base formulation.

[0269] [Table 2 - 1] [Table 2 - 2]

[0270] Base paint formulations E1 to E33 and latex paint samples E34 to E39 containing the antibacterial compositions according to Table 2a were prepared. A fixed volume of 50 mL of the base paint formulation or a commercially available latex paint was mixed with a fixed volume of 800 μL of the culture (Mix-all), mixed thoroughly, and cultured at room temperature in the dark for one week. After one week, 100 μL of a 1:10 dilution of PBS-buffer (10 mM phosphate buffered saline, pH 7.4, 137 mmol / L NaCl, 2.7 mmol / L KCl, 10 mmol / L Na2HPO4, 1.8 mmol / L KH2PO4) was plated out onto standard TSA (trypticase soy agar) plates (100 colony forming units (cfu) per milliliter of paint) and cultured in a binder 3.1 incubator at 30 °C. The samples were analyzed 48 hours later for bacterial growth and 72 hours later for yeast / fungus / mold growth.

[0271] Antibacterial activity test in scraper plaster Samples of the scraper plaster formulation were mixed, as shown in Table 2b, with different amounts of water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion sources, water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion sources, water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion sources, water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion sources, and water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion sources as claimed in claim 1. All amounts shown in ppm correspond to mg values per kilogram of the corresponding ion based on the total weight of the scraper plaster formulation.

[0272]

Table 2-3

[0273] Scraper plaster formulations E41 - E46 containing the antibacterial composition according to Table 2b were prepared. A fixed volume of 50 mL of scraper plaster was mixed with a fixed volume of 800 μL of culture (Mix - all), mixed thoroughly, and cultured in the dark at room temperature for 1 week. After 1 week, 100 μL of a 1:10 dilution of PBS - buffer (10 mM phosphate - buffered saline, pH 7.4, 137 mmol / L NaCl, 2.7 mmol / L KCl, 10 mmol / l Na2HPO4, 1.8 mmol / L KH2PO4) was plated out onto standard TSA (trypticase soy agar) plates (100 colony - forming units (cfu) per milliliter of paint) and cultured in a binder 3.1 incubator at 30 °C. Samples were analyzed 48 hours later for bacterial growth and 72 hours later for yeast / fungus / mold growth.

[0274] Antibacterial activity test in dispersion adhesive for wooden floors Samples of the adhesive formulation were mixed, as shown in Table 2c, with different amounts of water - soluble or water - dispersible bismuth ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible magnesium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible sodium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible potassium ion sources, and water - soluble or water - dispersible zinc ion sources as claimed in claim 1. All amounts shown in ppm correspond to mg values per kilogram of the corresponding ion based on the total weight of the adhesive formulation.

[0275]

Table 2 - 4

[0276] Adhesive formulations E47 - E54 containing the antibacterial compositions according to Table 2c were prepared. A fixed quantity of 50 mL of the adhesive was mixed with a fixed quantity of 800 μL of the culture (Mix - all), mixed thoroughly, and cultured in the dark at room temperature for 1 week. After 1 week, 100 μL of a 1:10 dilution of PBS - buffer (10 mM phosphate - buffered saline, pH 7.4, 137 mmol / L NaCl, 2.7 mmol / L KCl, 10 mmol / L Na2HPO4, 1.8 mmol / L KH2PO4) was plated out onto standard TSA (trypticase soy agar) plates (100 colony - forming units (cfu) per milliliter of paint) and incubated in a binder 3.1 incubator at 30°C. Samples were analyzed after 48 hours for bacterial growth and after 72 hours for yeast / fungus / mold growth.

[0277] Antibacterial activity test in varnish Samples of the varnish were mixed, as shown in Table 2d, with different amounts of water - soluble or water - dispersible bismuth ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible magnesium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible sodium ion sources, water - soluble or water - dispersible potassium ion sources, and water - soluble or water - dispersible zinc ion sources as claimed in claim 1. All amounts shown in ppm correspond to mg values per kilogram of the corresponding ion based on the total weight of the varnish formulation.

[0278]

Table 2 - 5

[0279] Varnish formulations E55 - E61 containing the antibacterial composition according to Table 2d were prepared. A fixed volume of 50 mL of the varnish formulation was mixed with a fixed volume of 800 μL of the culture (Mix - all), mixed thoroughly, and cultured at room temperature in the dark for 1 week. After 1 week, 100 μL of a 1:10 dilution of PBS - buffer (phosphate - buffered saline 10 mM, pH 7.4, 137 mmol / L NaCl, 2.7 mmol / L KCl, 10 mmol / L Na2HPO4, 1.8 mmol / L KH2PO4) was plated out onto standard TSA (trypticase soy agar) plates (100 colony - forming units (cfu) per milliliter of paint), and incubated at 30 °C in a binder 3.1 incubator. Samples were analyzed 48 hours later for bacterial growth and 72 hours later for yeast / fungus / mold growth.

[0280] Bacterial / yeast and mold count and pH value of the antibacterial activity test of treated base paint and commercially available latex paint Unless otherwise specified, the bacterial / yeast and fungal counts shown here are expressed as cfu / g. Table 3 below shows the antibacterial activity of the base paint formulations / commercial latex paints prepared according to Table 2a. The antibacterial activity was tested weekly over a 10 - week period (W0 - W10) in the above - mentioned base paints according to the microbial activity test. Thus, a fixed volume of the base paint formulation was sampled over 10 weeks and tested weekly with the above - mentioned fresh bacterial / yeast and mold mixture to evaluate the long - term effect of the antibacterial composition added to the base paint formulation. Table 4 below shows the pH values of the base paint formulations prepared according to Table 2a at W0 and W10.

[0281] *: Explanation: All count numbers represent colony - forming units per gram of the product: cfu / g t.c.: Totally contaminated (>1×10 8 cfu / g); Detection limit 100 cfu / g

[0282]

Table 3 - 1

Table 3-2

Table 3-3

[0283]

Table 4-1

Table 4-2

[0284] Bacterial / yeast and mold count and pH value of the antibacterial activity test of treated scraper plaster Unless otherwise specified, the bacteria / yeast and mold counts shown here are expressed as cfu / g. Table 5 below shows the antibacterial activity of the scraper plaster prepared according to Table 2b. The antibacterial activity was tested weekly over a 6-week period (W0 - W6) in the above-mentioned scraper plaster according to the microbial activity test. Therefore, a certain amount of the scraper plaster formulation was collected over 6 weeks and tested weekly with the above fresh bacteria / yeast and mold mixture to evaluate the long-term effect of the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial composition added to the scraper plaster formulation. Table 6 below shows the pH values of the scraper plaster formulation prepared according to Table 2b at W0 and W6.

[0285] *: Explanation: All count numbers represent colony-forming units per gram of the product: cfu / g t.c.: Totally contaminated (>1×10 8 cfu / g); Detection limit 100 cfu / g

[0286]

Table 5

[0287]

Table 6

[0288] Bacterial / yeast and mold count and pH value of the antibacterial activity test of treated adhesive Unless otherwise specified, the bacterial / yeast and fungal counts shown here are expressed as cfu / g. Table 7 below shows the antibacterial activity of the adhesives prepared according to Table 2c. The antibacterial activity was tested weekly over a 2-week period (W0 - W2) in the above adhesives according to the microbial activity test. Therefore, a fixed amount of the adhesive formulation was collected over a 2-week period and tested weekly with the above fresh bacterial / yeast and mold mixture to evaluate the long-term effect of the antibacterial activity of the antibacterial composition added to the adhesive formulation. Table 8 below shows the pH values of the adhesive formulations prepared according to Table 2c at W0 and W2.

[0289] *: Explanation: All count numbers represent colony forming units per gram of product: cfu / g t.c.: Totally contaminated (>1×10 8 cfu / g); Detection limit 100 cfu / g

[0290]

Table 7

[0291]

Table 8

[0292] Bacterial / yeast and mold count and pH value of the antibacterial activity test of treated varnish Unless otherwise specified, the bacterial / yeast and fungal counts shown here are expressed as cfu / g. Table 9 below shows the antibacterial activity of the varnishes prepared according to Table 2d. The antibacterial activity was tested weekly over a 3-week period (W0 - W3) in the above-mentioned varnishes according to the microbial activity test. Accordingly, a fixed amount of the varnish formulation was collected over 3 weeks and tested weekly with the above-mentioned fresh bacterial / yeast and mold mixture to evaluate the long-term effect of the antibacterial composition added to the varnish formulation. Table 10 below shows the pH values of the varnish formulations prepared according to Table 2d at W0 and W3.

[0293] *: Explanation: All count numbers represent colony-forming units per gram of the product: cfu / g t.c.: Totally contaminated (>1×10 8 cfu / g); Detection limit 100 cfu / g

[0294]

Table 9

[0295]

Table 10

[0296] From the data in Table 3, it can be seen that the use of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source (ZnO) alone (E3) cannot stabilize the base formulation over 4 weeks. In contrast, the combination of at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source (ZnO) with at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source and / or at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source (E6, E7) has been shown to be able to stabilize the base formulation for at least 7 weeks.

[0297] From Examples 9 to 12, 14 to 17, 19, 20 and 22 to 26, it can be seen that the storage stabilizer according to the invention for stabilizing the aqueous composition during storage, namely, a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source, can stabilize the base paint during storage, does not show a change in pH value exceeding ±2, and / or prevents or reduces the growth and / or propagation of microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages for at least 15 days.

[0298] Therefore, the use of the storage stabilizer according to the invention stabilizes the aqueous composition during storage, in particular, stabilizes the aqueous formulation against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages, in particular, against the growth of bacteria / yeast and fungi, for a defined fraction of time.

Claims

**Claim 1** A storage stabilizer for stabilizing an aqueous composition during storage, comprising at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ionic sources selected from the group consisting of a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, a water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source, and a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source. **Claim 2** The water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source is at least one bismuth salt, preferably, the at least one bismuth salt is selected from the group consisting of bismuth carbonate, basic bismuth carbonate, bismuth oxide, bismuth hydroxide, bismuth chloride, bismuth iodide, bismuth phosphate, bismuth citrate, bismuth acetate, bismuth lactate, basic bismuth salicylate, bismuth polymer salts, and mixtures thereof, and the bismuth polymer salts are preferably selected from the group consisting of bismuth salts of acrylic homopolymers, bismuth salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, bismuth salts of polyphosphoric acid, and mixtures thereof. The storage stabilizer according to claim 1. **Claim 3** The water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source is at least one magnesium salt, preferably, the at least one magnesium salt is selected from the group consisting of magnesium carbonate, magnesium chloride, magnesium oxide, magnesium hydroxide, magnesium phosphate, magnesium citrate, magnesium maleate, magnesium acetate, magnesium lactate, magnesium polymer salts, and mixtures thereof, and the magnesium polymer salts are preferably selected from the group consisting of magnesium salts of acrylic homopolymers, magnesium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, magnesium salts of polyphosphoric acid, and mixtures thereof. The storage stabilizer according to claim 1 or 2. **Claim 4** The water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source is at least one sodium salt, preferably the at least one sodium salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium carbonate, sodium chloride, sodium hydroxide, sodium phosphate, sodium citrate, sodium maleate, sodium acetate, sodium lactate, sodium polymer salts and mixtures thereof, and the sodium polymer salt is preferably selected from the group consisting of sodium salts of acrylic homopolymers, sodium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, sodium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

5. The water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source is at least one zinc salt, more preferably the at least one zinc salt is selected from the group consisting of zinc carbonate, zinc oxide, zinc chloride, zinc hydroxide, zinc phosphate, zinc citrate, zinc maleate, zinc acetate, zinc lactate, zinc polymer salts and mixtures thereof, and the zinc polymer salt is preferably selected from the group consisting of zinc salts of acrylic homopolymers, zinc salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, zinc salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 4.

6. The water-soluble or water-dispersible potassium ion source is at least one potassium salt, preferably the at least one potassium salt is selected from the group consisting of potassium carbonate, potassium chloride, potassium hydroxide, potassium phosphate, potassium citrate, potassium maleate, potassium acetate, potassium lactate, potassium polymer salts and mixtures thereof, and the potassium polymer salt is preferably selected from the group consisting of potassium salts of acrylic homopolymers, potassium salts of acrylic copolymers such as copolymers of acrylic acid and maleic acid and / or acrylamide, potassium salts of polyphosphoric acid and mixtures thereof. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 5.

7. The storage stabilizer contains water, and preferably each of the water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is present in the composition in an amount of 1000 to 10000 ppm, preferably 1500 to 8000 ppm, more preferably 2000 to 7000 ppm, and most preferably 2500 to 5000 ppm, calculated based on the weight of water. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 6.

8. The storage stabilizer according to claim 7, having a pH value in the range of 3 to 14, more preferably 5 to 14, even more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11.

9. The weight ratio of the at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources is 100:1 to 1:100, preferably 10:1 to 1:10, and most preferably 5:1 to 1:

5. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the storage stabilizer does not contain at least one water-soluble or water-dispersible lithium ion source.

11. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the storage stabilizer contains a further additive selected from the group consisting of a dispersant, a viscosity modifier, a thickener, a rheology additive, and an antifoaming agent.

12. The storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the at least two different water-soluble or water-dispersible ion sources are as follows: (i) a water-soluble or water-dispersible bismuth ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible magnesium ion source or a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source, or (ii) a water-soluble or water-dispersible sodium ion source in combination with a water-soluble or water-dispersible zinc ion source.

13. An aqueous formulation containing the storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, preferably a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metalworking fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

14. The pH value of the aqueous preparation is stabilized, and the aqueous preparation contains the storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 12 in an amount such that it is stored for at least 15 days, preferably at least 20 days, more preferably at least 30 days, even more preferably at least 60 days, and most preferably 90 days against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages. The aqueous preparation according to claim 13.

15. The aqueous preparation according to claim 11 or 12, further comprising: (i) at least one inorganic particulate substance, preferably the at least one inorganic particulate substance is selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate, precipitated calcium carbonate, surface-modified calcium carbonate, dolomite, kaolin, clay, barite, talcum, aluminum hydroxide, aluminum silicate, titanium dioxide, hydro magnesite, perlite, sepiolite, brucite and mixtures thereof, and most preferably the at least one inorganic particulate substance is selected from the group consisting of natural ground calcium carbonate and / or precipitated calcium carbonate, and / or (ii) at least one organic substance, preferably the at least one organic substance is selected from the group consisting of carbohydrates such as starch, sugar, cellulose, modified cellulose and cellulose-based pulp, glycerol, hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.

16. The aqueous preparation has (i) a pH value of 3 to 14, more preferably 5 to 14, even more preferably 7 to 14, even more preferably 7.5 to 11.5, and most preferably 8 to 11, and / or (ii) a solids content of up to 85.0% by weight, preferably 10.0 to 82.0% by weight, more preferably 20.0 to 80.0% by weight based on the total weight of the aqueous preparation. The aqueous preparation according to any one of claims 13 to 15.

17. A method for stabilizing an aqueous preparation during storage, comprising the following steps: (a) providing an aqueous preparation, preferably a papermaking formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metal working fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation; (b) providing the storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 12, and Step of contacting and mixing the aqueous formulation of step (a) with the storage stabilizer of step (b) in any order to obtain a stabilized aqueous formulation.

18. Use of a storage stabilizer according to any one of claims 1 to 12 for stabilizing the pH value of an aqueous formulation and / or for preserving the aqueous formulation against microorganisms, viruses and / or bacteriophages.

19. Use according to claim 18, wherein the aqueous formulation is a paper formulation, a paper coating formulation, a fiber formulation, a food formulation, a pharmaceutical formulation, a cosmetic formulation, a plastic formulation, a plaster formulation, a varnish formulation, a joint filler formulation, an adhesive formulation, a metalworking fluid, a cooling fluid, a primer coat, a leveling compound, and / or a paint formulation.

20. Use according to claim 18 or 19, wherein the microorganism is selected from the group comprising at least one strain of bacteria, fungi, molds, yeasts, algae and at least one strain of mixtures thereof.

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