Agent for forming a persistent hydrophilic film and method for forming a persistent hydrophilic film

Abstract

To provide fulvic acid and a persistent hydrophilic film formation agent that is an utterly novel usage of the fulvic acid by paying attention to fulvic acid and characteristics of the fulvic acid and a long-lasting hydrophilic film forming method using the same.SOLUTION: A persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention is a persistent hydrophilic film forming agent used for forming a surface layer having alkane of animals and plants as a constituent molecule and / or a persistent hydrophilic film on a surface of plastic containing alkane as a constituent molecule, and characterized by a fulvic acid-containing solution containing humic acid, a fulvic acid-containing solution containing fulvic acid, or humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution containing humic acid and fulvic acid. The humic acid solution, fulvic acid solution, and humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution preferably contain, in each solution, the humic acid, fulvic acid, and humic / fulvic acid at a ratio of 50% (TOC value) or more.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent and a sustained hydrophilic film-forming method, and more particularly to a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent and a sustained hydrophilic film-forming method using fulvic acid, which is a humic substance. [Background technology]

[0002] The above-mentioned fulvic acid is a type of humic substance that is obtained as an extract from humus soil along with humic acid. Humus soil is usually formed by decomposition, synthesis and organification of sediments that were deposited on the bottom of oceans, lakes and swamps more than 5 million years ago, consisting of seaweed, algae and other plants, seafood, and other inorganic matter, by anaerobic microorganisms. For example, it exists as a layer about 10m thick, located about 20m underground. Humic acid is an alkali-soluble coloring substance present in the extract of humus soil, and is also called humic acid. Fulvic acid is a coloring substance that remains in the solution after the humic acid is removed from the extract of humus soil by acid precipitation. Fulvic acid is characterized by a smaller molecular weight, lower carbon content, and higher oxygen content (higher carboxyl group content) than humic acid. As a result, the total acid content of fulvic acid is approximately 900-1400 meq / 100g, which is significantly higher than that of humic acid, which is approximately 500-870 meq / 100g.

[0003] As an example of the use of an extract from humus soil, Japanese Patent Publication No. 62-3806 describes a method in which humic acid in humus soil is extracted with water to obtain an aqueous humic acid solution, which is then heat-sterilized and filtered through a 0.6 μm filter, and the resulting aqueous humic acid solution is adjusted in concentration and pH to 2.0 to 5.0, and used as a disinfectant for food preservation.

[0004] However, food preservative disinfectants containing humic acid do not necessarily have sufficient antibacterial and antiseptic properties, and despite being heat-treated, they have poor storage stability, turning brown after only 2-3 months of storage. Thus, conventional technologies have not been able to fully utilize the characteristics of humus-derived substances.

[0005] In view of the problems with disinfectants using humic acid, the following disinfectant has been proposed in JP 2008-7451 A, which utilizes substances derived from humus soil to provide an antibacterial and disinfectant with superior antibacterial and disinfectant properties. (1) A disinfectant containing fulvic acid as an active ingredient. (2) The disinfectant according to (1) above, which is in the form of an aqueous solution of fulvic acid. (3) The disinfectant according to (2) above, which is in the form of an aerosol product in which the aqueous solution of fulvic acid is filled in an aerosol container together with a propellant. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Special Publication No. 62-3806

[0007] [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2008-7451 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0008] By the way, fulvic acid and humic acid, which are humic substances, both contain alkanes (general formula C n H 2n+2 ), COOH groups, and OH groups. The inventors of the present invention have discovered that, of these constituent molecules, alkanes are lipophilic, while COOH and OH groups are hydrophilic, and therefore both fulvic acid and humic acid are substances that possess both hydrophilic and lipophilic properties.

[0009] The present invention focuses on the above-mentioned findings of fulvic acid and the properties of fulvic acid, and has as its main object to provide a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, which is a completely new use of fulvic acid, and a sustained hydrophilic film-forming method using the same. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The above object can be achieved by the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention having the following configurations (1) to (12) and a sustained hydrophilic film-forming method using the same. (1) A sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent for forming a sustained hydrophilic film on the surface layer of an animal or plant having alkanes as constituent molecules, and / or on the surface of a plastic containing alkanes as constituent molecules, the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent being a humic acid-containing solution containing humic acid, a fulvic acid-containing solution containing fulvic acid, or a humic acid-fulvic acid mixed solution containing humic acid and fulvic acid. (2) The humic acid solution, fulvic acid solution, and humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution are the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agents of (1) above, each containing humic acid, fulvic acid, or humic acid / fulvic acid in a proportion of 50% (TOC value) or more in the solution. (3) The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent according to (1) or (2) above, wherein the surface layer of the animal is the stratum corneum covered with epidermal lipids. (4) The long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent according to (1) or (2), wherein the surface layer of the leaves and / or stems of the plant is covered with a cuticle. (5) The persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent according to (1) or (2), wherein the plastic surface is the surface of a plastic material made entirely of plastic, or the surface of a plastic surface layer formed on another material. (6) A sustained hydrophilic film-forming preparation according to any one of (1) to (5), in which, in the case of a humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution containing both humic acid and fulvic acid, the proportion of fulvic acid in the total amount (solid content) of humic acid and fulvic acid is 50% or more. (7) The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent (1) or (2) is diluted so that the amount of humic acid, fulvic acid, or a mixture of humic acid and fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value), and is used for animals including humans. (8) The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent (1) or (2) is diluted so that the amount of humic acid, fulvic acid, or a mixture of humic acid and fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value), and the resulting sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is used for plants. (9) The sustained hydrophilic film forming agent of (1) or (2) above is diluted so that the amount of humic acid, fulvic acid, or a mixture of humic acid and fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value), and is used as a sustained hydrophilic film forming agent for plastics. (10) A method for forming a sustained hydrophilic film, which comprises spraying the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent (7) onto the surface of a surface layer of an animal, including a human, that has alkanes as constituent molecules, thereby forming a sustained hydrophilic film on the surface. (11) A method for forming a sustained hydrophilic film, which comprises spraying the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of (8) onto the surface of a surface layer of a plant having alkanes as constituent molecules, thereby forming a sustained hydrophilic film on said surface. (12) A method for forming a persistent hydrophilic film, comprising spraying the persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent of (9) above onto a surface of plastic to form a persistent hydrophilic film on the surface. Hereinafter, the animals, plants and plastics on whose surfaces the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention is applied may be referred to as a base material. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention can be produced using the fulvic acid and humic acid disclosed in Japanese Patent No. 6285605 and JP 2019-81150 A, or can be produced using the fulvic acid and humic acid that can be produced using the organic waste treatment device described in Japanese Patent No. 4692994 A. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention can also be produced using fulvic acid or humic acid obtained by producing humus soil such as peat soil. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] As described above, the fulvic acid and humic acid contained in the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention have hydrophilic molecules and lipophilic molecules, and therefore the film formed using this agent is firmly fixed by the lipophilic molecules acting on the lipophilic surface of the base material, and furthermore, the above-mentioned hydrophilic molecules sufficiently fix moisture, so that the hydrophilic film formed using the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention is a sustained, good hydrophilic film. Furthermore, a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent containing both humic acid and fulvic acid has the advantages of both humic acid and fulvic acid, since humic acid contains more lipophilic molecules than fulvic acid, and fulvic acid contains more hydrophilic molecules than humic acid. Furthermore, the lipophilic molecules contained in each of fulvic acid and humic acid strengthen the bond between them. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an example of a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent according to an embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0013] Hereinafter, embodiments of the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention will be described. First, a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent containing fulvic acid will be described as a first embodiment of the present invention, followed by a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent containing humic acid as a second embodiment, and a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent containing a mixture of fulvic acid and humic acid as a third embodiment.

[0014] First, the substrate to which this sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is applied is an animal or plant that contains alkanes in its surface layer. This sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent can also be applied to the surface of plastics, but since these plastics themselves contain alkanes, we will not discuss this here. For example, some plant leaves have a water-repellent (hydrophobic / lipophilic) surface layer, which contains a cuticle with alkanes. Meanwhile, the epidermis of animals is covered with epidermal lipids. Over 95% of these lipids are sebum, which is composed of triglycerides, waxes, squalene, fatty acids, diglycerides, cholesterol, and cholesterol esters. These sebum molecules, along with lipophilic molecules of fulvic acid and humic acid, combine with alkanes to form a new surface film that covers the surface of the epidermis. Meanwhile, this film also contains hydrophilic molecules, which hold water molecules. That is, the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention is a hydrophilic film-forming agent for forming a hydrophilic film on a water-repellent and lipophilic surface. Here, the term "sustainable" means that the hydrophilic film can be maintained for 2 to 3 days or more, and in some cases for 1 week to 10 days, even in a dry environment with a humidity of 70% or less.

[0015] First embodiment: Long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent containing fulvic acid The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent according to this embodiment is made of a fulvic acid-containing solution containing fulvic acid. The fulvic acid content (as solid content) in this fulvic acid-containing solution is preferably 50% or more. This long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent is available in two types: one produced by hot water extraction using lignite, brown coal, and humus soil as raw materials, and one produced by hydrolysis extraction using woody plants and herbaceous plants that contain a lot of lignin (such as grasses).

[0016] As a typical example, a method for producing a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent by hydrolyzing wood with subcritical water treatment will be described below.

[0017] First, an example of a manufacturing apparatus (processing apparatus) 10 for carrying out the method for manufacturing a fulvic acid-containing solution according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described. Coniferous trees such as cedar, cypress, pine, and asparagus dolabrata, and broad-leaved trees such as willow, oak, zelkova, beech, Japanese oak, chestnut, and white birch were used as woody plants. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the manufacturing apparatus.

[0018] The manufacturing apparatus 10 includes a sealed container 12 having a closed space S1 therein for containing wood chips as raw material, a steam ejection means 14 for ejecting high-temperature, high-pressure steam, i.e., subcritical water, into the sealed container 12, a discharge outlet 16 provided on the bottom of the sealed container 12 and having an opening / closing mechanism 26, and a separation and recovery means 18 for separating and recovering the treated raw material and liquid solely by direct discharge from the discharge outlet 16. The sealed container 12 may be of any shape, such as a rectangular box, a three-dimensional polygonal cylinder, a cylinder, a barrel, a drum, or any other shape, but is preferably shaped so that the material is discharged by gravity from the discharge outlet 16 provided on the bottom side. It is preferable that the bottom of the sealed container be sloped downward toward the discharge outlet.

[0019] The separation and recovery means 18 may have a closed space S2 different from the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12, a liquid recovery section 50 communicating with the inside of the sealed container 12 via the discharge port 16, and a gravity recovery mechanism 52 that recovers only the liquid in the sealed container 12 to the recovery section 50 by gravity via the discharge port 16. The raw material as a solid content processed near the discharge port 16 remains in the sealed container 12, and only the liquid flows down by gravity to the recovery section 50, thereby separating and recovering the raw material and the liquid. The recovery section 50 may be configured as desired, for example, as long as it has a closed space S2 for recovering the liquid, such as a metal tank, a three-dimensional polygonal box, or a tubular body. Multiple storage sections may be formed.

[0020] The gravity recovery mechanism 52 may include an equal pressure generating means 62 that equalizes the pressure in the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12 and the closed space S1 of the recovery section 50 before the liquid recovery operation. If the sealed container 12 and the recovery section 50 are configured to always be at the same pressure, the liquid recovery operation can be performed immediately after treatment, thereby shortening the operation time. In the above example, the separation means is incorporated into the processing device, but the processing device itself may not be provided with the separation means, and the separation means may be provided separately.

[0021] Furthermore, an equal pressure forming means 62 may be provided to equalize the pressure in the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12 and the closed space S2 of the recovery section 50. This equal pressure forming means 62 may have an equal pressure communicating pipe 64 that communicates the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12 with the closed space S2 of the recovery section 50 via a path different from the liquid recovery path via the discharge port 16. This equal pressure communicating pipe 64 may always communicate the closed space S1 with the closed space S2, thereby keeping the pressure inside the sealed container 12 and the recovery section 50 at the same level. Note that the equal pressure communicating pipe 64 only needs to communicate the sealed container 12 with the recovery section 50 at least before the liquid recovery operation to equalize the pressure, and an opening / closing mechanism may be provided to open and close the equal pressure communicating pipe.

[0022] Furthermore, the communication between the same pressure communicating pipe 64 forming another path and the sealed container 50 may be achieved via a communication connection part 68 set on the upper end side of the sealed container 12 .

[0023] Furthermore, the gravity flow recovery mechanism 52 includes a liquid recovery flow path 54 that connects the discharge outlet 16 of the sealed container 12 to the recovery section 50, and the liquid recovery flow path 54 may be arranged horizontally or downwardly inclined from the side communicating with the discharge outlet 16 toward the recovery section 50.

[0024] In addition, an opening / closing mechanism 26 may be provided midway along the discharge path R1 from the discharge outlet 16 for the processed raw material, and the liquid inlet 58 of the liquid recovery flow path 54 may be connected to the discharge upstream side of the opening / closing mechanism 26.

[0025] In addition, the liquid recovery flow path 54 may be provided with an opening / closing mechanism 60 that selectively switches the communication state so that the flow path is blocked during processing of the raw material in the sealed container 12 and is open when only the liquid is recovered after processing.

[0026] The bottom surface of the closed space S2 of the collection section 50 may be set lower than the position of the discharge port 16 of the sealed container 12.

[0027] Furthermore, the recovery unit 50 may be provided so that the liquid level WL of the liquid recovered in the closed space S2 is always lower than the discharge port 16.

[0028] The sealed container 12 may have a stirring means 30 for stirring the raw materials.

[0029] The sealed container 12 may have an outlet 16 at the bottom in the center of the left and right sides, and may be formed in a sideways barrel shape with a diameter that gradually decreases from the center of the left and right sides toward both ends. The stirring means 30 may have a rotating shaft 49 that is arranged horizontally within the sealed container 12 and rotatably supported, and a stirring blade 48 that is attached to the rotating shaft 49 and has a portion that extends circumferentially around the rotating shaft 49. The length from the rotating shaft 49 to the tip of the stirring blade 48 may be long at the center of the length of the rotating shaft 49 and gradually become shorter as it approaches both ends, corresponding to the sideways barrel shape of the sealed container 12.

[0030] The steam ejection means 14 may also include a rotating shaft / steam ejection pipe 28 configured by forming a rotating shaft 49 as a hollow tube and forming a plurality of steam ejection holes 44 on the circumferential surface of the hollow tube.

[0031] In this example, the sealed container 12 is supported by support legs 13 so as to be positioned at a certain height from the ground. The sealed container 12 is formed in a sideways barrel shape with its diameter gradually decreasing from the center in the left-right direction toward the end walls 12a on both left and right ends. The sealed container 12 is formed, for example, by processing a metal plate so as to have heat and pressure resistance, and is designed to hold about 2 m of raw material. 3The sealed container 12 is large enough to accommodate the raw materials. The sealed container 12 has an input port 20 at the top of the center and an output port 22 at the bottom of the center, which are opened and closed by opening and closing mechanisms 24, 26, respectively. A steam ejection pipe 28 constituting the steam ejection means 14 and an agitation means 30 for agitating the raw materials are disposed within the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12. The sealed container 12 is also provided with a safety valve 32, for example, an adjustable set pressure, which releases the internal steam when the internal pressure exceeds a set value. A sound and odor eliminator 34 is provided in the exhaust pipe connected to the safety valve 32, and the steam exhausted through the safety valve 32 is muffled and deodorized before being discharged to the outside air.

[0032] As shown in the figure, the discharge outlet 16 is located on the bottom side of the central portion of the sealed container 12 in the left-right direction, with the raw material discharge direction facing downward. The diameter of the discharge outlet 16 is, for example, approximately 300 mm. A discharge tube 36 protruding downward is connected to the discharge outlet 16 to form a discharge path R1 for the processed raw material, and an opening / closing mechanism 26 is provided midway along the discharge path R1 to open and close the discharge outlet 16. In other words, the discharge section 22 is configured to include the discharge outlet 16, the discharge tube 36, and the opening / closing mechanism 26. Because the sealed container 12 is formed in a sideways barrel shape, gravity causes the raw material inside to gather toward the center where the discharge outlet 16 is located. Therefore, the raw material can be easily discharged from the discharge outlet 16 by simply opening the opening / closing mechanism 26.

[0033] In the charging section 20, a charging port 42 opens on the upper side of the sealed container 12, and a charging tube 43 protruding upward is attached to the charging port 42, and an opening / closing mechanism 24 such as a ball valve is provided to open and close the inside of the charging tube 43. The charging port 42 can be opened via the opening / closing mechanism 24 to charge raw materials into the sealed container, and is closed during processing to maintain the closed state of the closed space S1 inside the sealed container 12.

[0034] The steam ejection means 14 ejects high-temperature, high-pressure steam into the sealed vessel 12, creating a high-temperature, high-pressure state within the sealed vessel 12, and processes the raw materials using the steam. As shown in FIG. 1 , the steam ejection means 14 includes a steam ejection pipe 28, which is a hollow tube disposed within the sealed vessel 12 and has numerous steam ejection holes 44 formed on its circumferential surface; a steam generator 46 such as a boiler; and a steam delivery pipe 47, which supplies steam from the steam generator 46 to the steam ejection pipe 28. The steam ejected from the steam ejection means 14 into the sealed vessel 12 is set to a high temperature and high pressure equivalent to subcritical water in order to properly process the raw materials. For example, the steam ejected from the steam ejection pipe 28 has a temperature of approximately 120 to 250°C and a pressure of approximately 15 to 35 atm. The sealed vessel 12 is then maintained at a temperature of approximately 120 to 250°C and a pressure of approximately 15 to 35 atm. The steam ejection pipe 28 is disposed horizontally at approximately the center of the sealed container 12 in the vertical direction and is rotatably supported via bearings 45 provided on both end walls 12a of the sealed container. That is, the steam ejection pipe 28 rotates about its horizontal axis, ejecting steam radially and directly hitting the raw material with the steam. The steam ejection pipe 28 is rotated by a rotational driving force obtained via a chain or the like from a rotary drive device 51 such as a motor. Furthermore, an agitating blade 48 constituting the agitating means is attached to the steam ejection pipe 28, and the steam ejection pipe 28 also serves as a rotating shaft 49 of the agitating means. That is, in this embodiment, the steam ejection means 14 includes a rotating shaft / steam ejection pipe 28 configured by forming a plurality of steam ejection holes on the circumferential surface of a hollow tube as the rotating shaft 49 of the agitating means. The steam ejection means is not limited to this configuration, and may be of any other configuration, such as a configuration in which steam is ejected from the tip of a tube inserted into a sealed container, or a configuration in which multiple steam ejection tubes are arranged.

[0035] The agitation means 30 agitates the raw material being processed in the sealed container, enabling it to process the raw material evenly and quickly. The agitation means 30 includes a rotating shaft 49 formed from the steam ejection pipe 28 described above and an agitation blade 48 attached to the rotating shaft 49 and having a portion extending circumferentially around the rotating shaft. In this embodiment, the agitation blade 48 is formed of a right-handed spiral blade 48a and a left-handed spiral blade 48b, which are wound in opposite directions and located approximately at the axial center of the rotating shaft 49. The agitation blade 48 is configured so that the length from the rotating shaft to the blade tip gradually decreases from the center toward both ends. This ensures reliable agitation of the raw material in accordance with the inverted barrel-like shape of the sealed container 12. Furthermore, the blade tip is configured to provide a certain gap H between the blade tip and the inner wall of the sealed container 12. The spiral blades 48a and 48b convey the raw material from the center toward both end walls, agitating the raw material while crushing the solid raw material. The raw material conveyed toward both end walls 12a by the stirring blades 48 is pushed forward by the raw material conveyed later at the end walls 12a, and is conveyed along the inner wall of the sealed container 12, passing through the gap H, and then returning to the center. Note that the stirring means 30 is not limited to the above configuration, and may have any other configuration.

[0036] The separation and recovery means 18 is a separation and recovery means that separates and recovers the treated raw material and liquid in the sealed container 12 after steam treatment simply by direct operation from the discharge port. As shown in Figure 1, the separation and recovery means 18 has a liquid recovery section 50 that communicates with the inside of the sealed container 12 via the discharge port 16, and a gravity recovery mechanism 52 that recovers the liquid via the discharge port 16 into the recovery section 50 by gravity flow.

[0037] The recovery unit 50 is a second closed container having a separate closed space S2 therein, different from the closed space S1 of the closed container 12. The recovery unit 50 is, for example, a heat-resistant, pressure-resistant, cylindrical sealed tank made of a metal. The recovery unit 50 is connected to the discharge port 16 of the sealed container 12 via a liquid recovery flow path 54 formed, for example, of a metal pipe member. The recovery unit 50 is configured so that the bottom of the closed space S2 is lower than the position of the discharge port 16 of the sealed container 12, and so that the liquid level WL of the liquid recovered in the closed space S2 is always lower than the discharge port 16, allowing the liquid on the discharge port side to smoothly and naturally flow down to the recovery unit side. The recovery unit 50 is also provided with an extraction drain 56 for the recovered liquid, which is opened and closed by an on-off valve.

[0038] The gravity recovery mechanism 52 is a gravity recovery means that allows the liquid pooled in the sealed container 12 to flow naturally from the discharge port to the recovery unit 50 due to gravity. The gravity recovery mechanism 52 includes a liquid recovery channel 54, whose liquid inlet 58 is connected to the discharge port 16 to form a liquid recovery channel R2 branching off from the discharge channel R1 for the treated raw material. In this embodiment, the liquid recovery channel 54 is made of a metal tube with an inner diameter of approximately 6 mm, for example. The liquid recovery channel 54 is equipped with an opening / closing mechanism 60 that selectively switches the channel's communication state. The opening / closing mechanism 60 shuts off the channel during raw material processing in the sealed container and opens the channel when separating and recovering only the liquid after processing. This allows the water and steam contained in the raw material to be liquefied along with the raw material, allowing the liquid containing bacteria, malodorous components, and other substances contained in the raw material to be treated with high-temperature, high-pressure steam. Furthermore, the liquid separated and recovered after treatment can be recovered in a state where it has been sterilized and its odorous and harmful components have been decomposed, eliminating the need for secondary treatment of the separated and recovered liquid, reducing labor and time.

[0039] The liquid recovery channel 54 is connected to the liquid inlet 58 at a position upstream of the opening / closing mechanism 26. Therefore, with the opening / closing mechanism 26 for the discharge port 16 closed, the opening / closing mechanism 60 for the liquid recovery channel 54 is opened to connect the channels, allowing the liquid to be separated and recovered from the discharge port. The liquid recovery channel 54 is connected perpendicular to the discharge tube 36, and the liquid recovery path R2 is arranged perpendicular to the raw material discharge path R1. That is, with the opening / closing mechanism 26 closed, the liquid flows in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the raw material accumulation pressure in the sealed container. This allows for a simple structure that makes it difficult for raw material to enter the liquid inlet 58, allowing only the liquid to naturally flow down the liquid recovery channel 54, thereby enabling effective liquid separation and recovery. If the liquid in the sealed container 12 flows too strongly toward the liquid inlet 56, the raw material may be carried away by the force of the liquid flow. Therefore, the connection configuration of the liquid recovery channel, liquid inlet, etc. is preferably set so that the flow is gentle enough not to carry away the processed raw material. The liquid recovery channel 54 is generally horizontally arranged from the side communicating with the discharge port 16 (the liquid inlet side) toward the recovery unit side. This allows the liquid to flow smoothly in the liquid recovery channel and naturally flow down from the discharge port to the recovery unit. The liquid recovery channel 54 may be arranged with a downward slope toward the recovery unit side to ensure a smoother flow of liquid within the liquid recovery channel 54. In this case, for example, the liquid inlet 58 side may be arranged horizontally for a certain length and then be arranged with a downward slope thereafter. Furthermore, the liquid inlet 58 may be provided with a filter or the like as needed.

[0040] Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 1 , the gravity mechanism 52 includes an equal-pressure generating means 62 that equalizes the pressure in the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12 and the closed space S2 of the recovery unit 50 before the liquid recovery operation. Because the interior of the sealed container 12 is normally high pressure after processing, a pumping force due to the pressure difference acts in the liquid recovery channel toward the closed space S2 of the recovery unit, which has a lower pressure than the interior of the sealed container. This pumping force causes both the liquid and the raw material to flow into the liquid recovery channel 54, making it difficult to separate and recover the liquid and raw material, and increasing the risk of the raw material clogging the liquid recovery channel. By using the equal-pressure generating means 62 to equalize the pressures in the two closed spaces S1 and S2 of the sealed container 12 and the recovery unit 50 before the liquid recovery operation, the raw material can be prevented from being pumped due to the difference in air pressure between the two closed spaces S1 and S2. The natural flow of the liquid allows the raw material to be efficiently recovered in the recovery unit while being separated from the raw material. Furthermore, since the separation and recovery work can be carried out even under high pressure in the sealed container after treatment, the work time can be shortened.

[0041] The equal-pressure generating means 62 includes an equal-pressure communicating pipe 64 that connects the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12 to the closed space S2 of the recovery section 50 via another route R3 different from the liquid recovery route R2 (liquid recovery flow path 54) via the discharge port 16. The equal-pressure communicating pipe 64 is made of, for example, a metal pipe and can efficiently equalize the pressure in the two closed spaces S1 and S2 with a simple structure. In FIG. 1, one end of the equal-pressure communicating pipe 64 is connected to the upper end of the central portion of the sealed container 12, and the other end is connected to the upper end of the recovery section 50. The equal-pressure communicating pipe 64, which forms another route R3, communicates with the sealed container 12 via a connecting part 68 provided at the upper end of the sealed container 12. The connecting port of the connecting part 68 to the sealed container is set downward. This makes it difficult for raw material accumulated in the sealed container 12 to enter the equal-pressure communicating pipe 64, preventing the raw material from clogging the pipe. This maintains the equal-pressure communicating pipe and ensures that the sealed container 12 and the recovery section 50 are at the same pressure. The equal-pressure communicating pipe 64 is always in communication, and when the opening / closing mechanism 60 for the liquid recovery flow path 54 is closed, the sealed container 12, the recovery section 50, and the liquid recovery flow path 54 are at the same pressure. This prevents the raw material from being pressurized due to a pressure difference on the liquid inlet 58 side of the discharge port 16, even immediately after the opening / closing mechanism 60 for the liquid recovery flow path 54 is opened. Furthermore, even when the opening / closing mechanism 60 is opened to recover the liquid, the sealed container 12 and the recovery section 50 are always maintained at the same pressure. This maintains the same pressure from before recovery until the end of recovery, allowing only the liquid to naturally flow down from the discharge port 16 and be separated and recovered. Note that the equal-pressure generating means 62 is not limited to this configuration and may have any other configuration. For example, the equal pressure forming means 62 may be provided with another high pressure forming device that creates a high pressure in the collection section, and the pressure in the collection section may be adjusted to be equal to the pressure in the sealed container while monitoring the pressure in the sealed container with a sensor. Alternatively, the pressure in the sealed container may be reduced.

[0042] Next, a method for producing a fulvic acid-containing solution according to the first embodiment of the present invention using the production apparatus 10 described above will be described. This method for producing a fulvic acid-containing solution includes an apparatus preparation step of preparing the above-mentioned treatment device; a raw material introduction step of introducing raw material containing wood chips as a main material from the supply section (inlet) into the treatment space of the sealed container of the treatment device; a treatment step of introducing steam at a temperature of 120 to 250°C and a pressure of 12 to 35 atm into the treatment space into which the raw material has been introduced while stirring the raw material, thereby subjecting the raw material to a hydrothermal reaction treatment to obtain a mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and a suspension of wood chips and / or its fragments; and a fulvic acid solution acquisition step of separating fulvic acid from the obtained mixed solution to obtain a fulvic acid solution.

[0043] Each of the above steps will be described in detail below. 《Equipment preparation process》 With reference to the drawing, a manufacturing apparatus (processing apparatus) such as that described above is prepared.

[0044] 《Raw material input process》 The main raw material is wood chips. The chip size is preferably about 50 to 150 cm in length and about 5 cm in width. An alkaline solution can be added as a secondary material or additive to efficiently produce more fulvic acid. When an alkaline solution is added, the steam pressure and temperature can be the same as when no alkaline solution is added.

[0045] Generally, felled wood or waste wood can be used as the wood. The felled wood may be either broad-leaved or soft-leaved. Any broad-leaved tree may be used, but willow, oak, zelkova, beech, Japanese oak, chestnut, birch, etc. were used. As the coniferous trees, cedar, cypress, pine, asaro, etc. can be preferably used. When using felled timber, there is no need to remove bark, leaves, etc.

[0046] Examples of waste wood include wood waste (lumber, boards: solid wood, laminated wood, plywood (veneer)) generated during the demolition of wooden houses. Such wood waste is usually made into chips, so it can be used as raw material as is. The above raw materials may be mixed and used. For example, when a normal household cuts down trees, various types of tree timber are produced. These timbers may be mixed together as they are, without sorting, and turned into chips to be used as raw material. Of course, waste wood chips may also be mixed into the chips.

[0047] The raw material, which is the chips described above, is introduced into the treatment space, and the amount of raw material is preferably 90% or less, particularly 50 to 80%, of the closed space S1 of the sealed container 12, i.e., the treatment space. If the amount of raw material introduced is lower than this range, the treatment efficiency will be poor, and if it exceeds this range, the steam will not act effectively on the raw material, and there is a risk that fulvic acid will not be produced sufficiently.

[0048] <<Processing process>> In this step, steam is introduced into the processing space into which the raw materials have been introduced. This steam has a temperature of 120 to 250°C and a pressure of 12 to 35 atm. The amount of steam introduced depends on the volume of the processing space and the amount of raw materials to be processed, but it is preferable that the amount introduced is such that the excess space (the volume of the processing space minus the volume of the raw materials introduced) is completely filled.

[0049] When broadleaf trees are used as the felled materials, the pressure of the steam in the treatment step is preferably 12 to 25 atm. When softwood is used as the felled material, the pressure of the steam in the treatment step is preferably 12 to 25 atm. In this treatment step, as described above, the raw materials are treated by subcritical water reaction while agitating the raw materials while introducing steam into the treatment space into which the raw materials have been introduced. The treatment time is preferably 1 to 12 hours. If the treatment time is shorter than the above range, the reaction time is insufficient, i.e., the production of fulvic acid is insufficient, and a considerable amount of fulvic acid remains in the raw material. If the treatment time exceeds the above range, the raw material is carbonized, and the remaining solids are The scope of future use will be narrowed. The temperature in the treatment space in this treatment step varies depending on the type and state of the raw materials used, but is maintained at 120 to 250°C and the pressure at 12 to 35 atm. In this treatment process, the raw material is subjected to a subcritical water reaction treatment, resulting in a solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid. This solution also contains a suspension of wood chips and / or their fragments. That is, a mixed solution containing fulvic acid, humic acid, and a suspension of wood chips and / or their fragments is obtained. In the mixed solution obtained in this process, fulvic acid accounts for 50 to 70% of the total amount (of the solid content) of fulvic acid and humic acid.

[0050] 《Cooling process》 After the treatment step, a cooling step may be carried out. In this cooling step, the treatment space is cooled, i.e., the vapor is cooled, to obtain a fulvic acid / humic acid-containing mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid. This cooling is usually carried out by natural cooling.

[0051] <<Fulvic acid-containing solution obtaining process>> In this process, humic acid is separated and removed from the mixed solution obtained in the previous treatment process (which may be followed by a cooling process) to obtain a fulvic acid-containing solution. The separation of humic acid and fulvic acid in the fulvic acid-containing solution obtaining step is carried out by making the pH of the solution acidic and separating the humic acid by precipitation or filtration. The pH of the solution is preferably 2-3. As a result of the above, a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, which is a fulvic acid-containing solution, according to the first embodiment of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the fulvic acid content of the fulvic acid-containing solution is preferably 90% or more.

[0052] Next, the applications of the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent prepared as described above will be explained for each application. [For plants] Plants, such as the leaves and stems of plants in the Rosaceae family, have a lipophilic (water-repellent) cuticle layer whose constituent molecules are alkanes. This persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent can be applied (by brushing or spraying) to the surface of plant leaves or stems. When applied to these surfaces, a persistent hydrophilic film is formed. This persistent hydrophilic film is effective, for example, for combating powdery mildew. In this case, the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is diluted so that the amount of fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value). If the amount of fulvic acid in the fulvic acid / humic acid mixed solution is less than the above range, the formation of a sustained hydrophilic film is small, while if it is too much, the lipophilic portion is reduced and the sustainability is shortened.

[0053] [For animals] Animals, such as the human face and hands, have a sebaceous (water-repellent) surface layer whose constituent molecules are alkanes. This long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent can be applied (by hand, sponge, brush, or spray) to the surfaces of animals, particularly the face and hands of humans. When applied to these surfaces, a long-lasting hydrophilic film is formed. This long-lasting hydrophilic film is effective, for example, for moisturizing.

[0054] [For plastics] Almost all plastics have alkanes as their constituent molecules, and naturally have lipophilic (water-repellent) surfaces. This persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent can be used to coat the surface of plastics. When applied to these surfaces, a persistent hydrophilic film is formed. This persistent hydrophilic film is effective in preventing contamination by, for example, oily aerosol substances. For all of the above applications for plants, animals, and plastics, this sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is diluted so that the amount of fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value). If the amount of fulvic acid is less than this range, not only will the hydrophilic film's durability decrease, but the film's water retention capacity will not reach the originally intended amount, the expected effect will not be achieved, and the film will disappear in about half a day. If the amount exceeds this range, no improvement in effect will be observed relative to the cost.

[0055] Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described in which the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is a humic acid-containing solution. [Method of producing humic acid-containing solution] The humic acid-containing solution can be produced by adjusting the pH to 2 to 3 and separating the solution by precipitation, or by filtering and recovering humic acid from the precipitated solution in the fulvic acid-containing solution obtaining step, which is the final step in the method for producing the fulvic acid-containing solution described above. As a result of the above, a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, which is a humic acid-containing solution, according to the second embodiment of the present invention is obtained. In this case, the humic acid content of the humic acid-containing solution is preferably 50% or more. The precipitates obtained by adjusting the pH to 2 to 3 or less are humic acid, but some humic acid precipitates at higher pH levels. In other words, a mixed solution containing more humic acid than fulvic acid is produced.

[0056] The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, which is a humic acid-containing solution according to the second embodiment, can be used for animals, plants, and plastics, just like the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, which is a fulvic acid-containing solution according to the first embodiment. For all of these applications, the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent according to the second embodiment is diluted so that the amount of humic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value). If the amount of humic acid is less than this range, not only will the water retention capacity of the hydrophilic film decrease, but the film will not last for the desired time and will disappear in about half a day. If the amount exceeds this range, no improvement in effectiveness is observed relative to the cost.

[0057] Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described in which the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent is a mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid. [Method of manufacturing a mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid] The fulvic acid / humic acid-containing solution is the final step in the above-mentioned method for producing a fulvic acid-containing solution, that is, the fulvic acid / humic acid-containing solution obtained before the fulvic acid-containing solution obtaining step.

[0058] Next, the effects of using a sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent using a mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid according to the third embodiment of the present invention on plants, animals (humans), and plastics will be described below.

[0059] Long-lasting hydrophilic film forming agent: Fulvic acid and humic acid-containing mixed solution (80% fulvic acid, 20% humic acid and other acids) Subject 1: A 1000-fold diluted mixture of fulvic acid and humic acid was sprayed onto the leaves (surface) of roses. Rose cultivation suffers significant damage from powdery mildew. Powdery mildew is caused by parasitic fungi, particularly those belonging to the Ascomycota phylum and the Erysiphacidae family (known in Japan as "powdery mold"). The test was conducted to address this issue. Powdery mildew is more likely to develop in humid, warm environments, but recent research has shown that dry leaf surfaces are necessary for fungal spores to adhere to leaf surfaces. After attachment under dry conditions, the spores extend germination tubes and form appressoria. Furthermore, haustoria form inside the leaf, absorbing nutrients and allowing the powdery mildew to spread. This shows that spraying an undiluted mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid on the leaves forms a hydrophilic molecular film on the surface of the plant even when dry, preventing spores from adhering and, as a result, preventing the occurrence of powdery mildew on the leaves and stems of roses. Foliar spraying was carried out every week to ten days in Japan's weather, before the weather began to dry out. The results were good, and the roses were shipped smoothly. Conventional practice is to spray diluted carbamate pesticides, which are harmful to humans, on the leaves, but this causes health problems for farmers in greenhouse horticulture. The solution to this problem is also common to greenhouse horticulture, such as strawberry cultivation. The formation of a sustained hydrophilic film by the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention was confirmed as follows, and the same applies to the subsequent examples. When plain water was applied, the water-repellent action of the applied surface caused the substance to roll up into a flattened sphere, but in the case of this sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent, the substance diffused to the surrounding area and formed a film rather than forming a sphere.

[0060] Subject 2: Human face and hands. A 100-fold diluted solution of fulvic acid and humic acid-containing mixed solution (80% fulvic acid, 20% humic acid and other acids) is sprayed onto the skin surface after washing with soap. In dry weather, a moisturizing effect is observed, leaving the face feeling moisturized. It has also been shown to improve dry skin on the hands. In tests conducted on women with particularly sensitive skin, 7 out of 10 people observed a moisturizing effect.

[0061] Subject 3: Plastic Propylene sheets and molded products made from propylene are used in a wide variety of applications, but the adhesion of oily substances can cause stains. To prevent contamination as much as possible, a 1000-fold diluted solution of a mixed solution containing fulvic acid and humic acid (80% fulvic acid, 20% humic acid and other acids) was sprayed onto the surface, preventing the adhesion of surface contaminants due to air pollution. The effect lasted for one week. From the above, the effect of the long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent of the present invention is clear. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 10 Organic waste treatment equipment 12. Airtight containers 14 Steam ejection means 16 Outlet 18 Separation and recovery methods 26 Opening and closing mechanism 30 Stirring means 50 Collection Department 52 Gravity recovery mechanism 54 Liquid recovery channel 58 Liquid inlet 60 Opening and closing mechanism 62. Methods of Forming Isobaric Pressure 64. Co-pressure connecting pipes

Claims

1. A sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent for forming a sustained hydrophilic film on the surface of a plant containing alkanes as constituent molecules, the sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent being a humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution containing humic acid and fulvic acid, the humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution containing 50% or more (TOC value) of humic acid / fulvic acid, and the proportion of fulvic acid in the total amount (solid content) of humic acid and fulvic acid being 50 to 70%.

2. 2. The long-lasting hydrophilic film-forming agent according to claim 1, wherein the surface layer of the plant is the cuticle layer of the surface layer of the leaves and / or stems of the plant.

3. 3. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent for plants according to claim 1, wherein the agent is diluted so that the amount of the mixture of humic acid and fulvic acid in the solution is 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value) at the time of use.

4. A method for forming a persistent hydrophilic film, comprising diluting the persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent of claim 3 and spraying it onto the surface of a surface layer of a plant having alkanes as constituent molecules, thereby forming a persistent hydrophilic film on said surface.

5. A sustained hydrophilic film forming agent for forming a sustained hydrophilic film on the surface of a plastic material made entirely of plastic, or on the surface of a plastic material made entirely of plastic, the surface of a plastic surface layer formed on another material, characterized in that the sustained hydrophilic film forming agent is a humic acid-containing solution containing humic acid, a fulvic acid-containing solution containing fulvic acid, or a humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution containing humic acid and fulvic acid.

6. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent of claim 5, wherein the humic acid-containing solution, the fulvic acid-containing solution, and the mixed humic acid / fulvic acid-containing solution each contain humic acid, fulvic acid, or humic acid / fulvic acid in a proportion of 50% (TOC value) or more in the solution.

7. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming preparation of claim 5, wherein when the humic acid / fulvic acid mixed solution contains both humic acid and fulvic acid, the proportion of fulvic acid in the total amount (solid content) of humic acid and fulvic acid is 50 to 70%.

8. 8. The sustained hydrophilic film-forming agent for use on plastics according to any one of claims 5 to 7, characterized in that, at the time of use, the amount of humic acid, fulvic acid, or a mixture of humic acid and fulvic acid in the solution is diluted to 0.01 to 500 ppm (TOC value).

9. A method for forming a persistent hydrophilic film, comprising diluting the persistent hydrophilic film-forming agent of claim 8 and spraying the diluted agent on a plastic surface to form a persistent hydrophilic film on the surface.

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