Detergents and descaling methods

Abstract

To provide a detergent that exhibits excellent scale removal effect, coupled with minimized calcium salt deposition and hand roughness during use.SOLUTION: A detergent contains 3-hydroxybutyric acid as the main component.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a cleaning agent used to remove limescale and the like, and a method for removing limescale. [Background technology]

[0002] The limescale that forms on sinks, electric kettles, etc. is caused by mineral components such as calcium carbonate and magnesium contained in tap water. It is known that if water that splashes during cooking or washing dishes is left alone, the water evaporates and the mineral components remain, which become limescale.

[0003] A conventional method for removing limescale caused by mineral components is to dissolve the main components, such as calcium carbonate and magnesium, with acid. For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a cleaning agent whose main components are citric acid and ascorbic acid. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 7-252498 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] The cleaning agent described in Patent Document 1 removes limescale mainly by the action of citric acid. However, when limescale is removed using citric acid, calcium citrate, which has extremely low solubility in water, precipitates and adheres to sinks, electric kettles, etc. as stains, which is a problem.

[0006] In addition, limescale frequently forms on sinks, electric kettles, etc., and requires regular removal using detergents. However, frequent use of detergents containing citric acid as the main ingredient can cause the problem of rough hands due to the citric acid.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a detergent that suppresses the deposition of calcium salts and rough hands during use and exhibits excellent limescale removal effects, and a method for removing limescale using this detergent. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] As a result of extensive research into the various functions of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, the inventors of the present application experimentally demonstrated that 3-hydroxybutyric acid is effective in removing limescale, leading to the completion of the present invention.

[0009] That is, the cleaning agent according to the present invention for achieving the above object is characterized by the following features: Contains 3-hydroxybutyric acid as the main component And it is solid. The point is that

[0010] According to the above characteristic features, 3-hydroxybutyric acid can dissolve and remove mineral components contained in limescale, etc., thereby providing excellent limescale removal effects. Furthermore, 3-hydroxybutyric acid has a high solubility in water as its calcium salt and is less irritating to the skin, so a cleanser having the above characteristic features is less likely to cause calcium salt precipitation and less likely to cause rough hands. Furthermore, according to the above characteristic configuration, storage is easy. A further characteristic feature of the cleaning agent according to the present invention is that it contains 3-hydroxybutyric acid as a main component and is a limescale remover. According to the above characteristic configuration, a scale remover that exhibits excellent scale removal effect due to 3-hydroxybutyric acid can be realized.

[0011] Further characteristic features of the cleaning agent according to the present invention are: The feature is that the solution contains at least the 3-hydroxybutyric acid and water.

[0012] According to the above characteristic configuration, the cleaning agent is in the form of a solution, so it can be used in a relatively simple manner, such as by applying or spraying it on areas where water stains, etc. are present. Furthermore, since the solvent used is water, which is non-toxic and harmless and is less expensive than other organic solvents, it is possible to prevent increases in manufacturing costs and also to prevent rough hands caused by the solvent.

[0013] Further characteristic features of the cleaning agent according to the present invention are: The concentration of the 3-hydroxybutyric acid is 1 w / v % or more.

[0014] According to the above characteristic configuration, the effect of removing limescale and the like by 3-hydroxybutyric acid can be sufficiently obtained.

[0017] Further characteristic features of the cleaning agent according to the present invention are: The 3-hydroxybutyric acid has an R conformation.

[0018] The inventors of the present invention have confirmed through experiments that a cleaning solution containing R-3-hydroxybutyric acid is effective in removing limescale and the like.

[0019] Further characteristic features of the cleaning agent according to the present invention are: Furthermore, it contains additives.

[0020] According to the above-described characteristic configuration, the cleaning agent contains various additives, and in addition to the effect of removing limescale and the like, the cleaning agent exhibits various effects according to the functions of the additives.

[0021] Further characteristic features of the cleaning agent according to the present invention are: It is a limescale remover.

[0022] According to the above characteristic configuration, a scale remover that exhibits excellent scale removal effect due to 3-hydroxybutyric acid can be realized.

[0023] The characteristic configuration of the limescale removal method according to the present invention to achieve the above object is as follows: The detergent is used to dissolve mineral components contained in limescale, thereby removing the limescale.

[0024] According to the above characteristic configuration, it is possible to remove limescale while suppressing the deposition of calcium salts and rough hands during use. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] 1 is a graph showing the results of a solubility test of calcium carbonate. [Figure 2] 1 is a graph showing the results of a solubility test of calcium carbonate. [Figure 3] 1 is a graph showing the results of a precipitation test. [Figure 4] 1 is a photograph showing the results of a solubility test of calcium salts. [Figure 5] 1 is a photograph showing the results of a solubility test of calcium salts. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] The cleaning agent and limescale removal method according to the present invention will be described below. Preferred examples are described below, but these examples are described to more specifically illustrate the present invention, and various modifications are possible within the scope of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the following descriptions.

[0027] In this specification, "limescale" refers to alkaline dirt that is mainly caused by mineral components such as calcium carbonate and magnesium.

[0028] The cleaning agent of the present invention contains 3-hydroxybutyric acid (3HB) as a main component.

[0029] [3HB] 3HB can be obtained, for example, by performing a fermentation process with the addition of 3HB-producing Halomonas bacteria, separating and removing the Halomonas bacteria from the resulting fermentation broth, and purifying the broth. The fermentation process can be carried out by adding 3HB-producing Halomonas bacteria directly to a raw material liquid containing a carbohydrate nutrient source, such as fruit juice, followed by aerobic fermentation and microaerobic fermentation (see JP 2013-081403 A). This process converts carbohydrates into 3HB, which is then produced in the fermentation broth. The produced 3HB is then separated and purified by membrane separation or other conventional methods and used as pure 3HB. In this case, the resulting 3HB is the R-isomer.

[0030] The 3HB contained in the detergent of the present invention is not limited to those derived from microorganisms as described above, but may also be obtained by organic synthesis. Furthermore, the conformation is not particularly limited, and the 3HB may be either the R- or S-configuration.

[0031] [Cleaning agent] This detergent contains the above-mentioned 3HB as its main ingredient, and the 3HB dissolves and removes mineral components contained in limescale, etc., demonstrating excellent limescale removal effects. Therefore, it is particularly useful as a limescale remover and can be used in limescale removal methods that dissolve mineral components contained in limescale. Furthermore, the calcium salt of the main ingredient, 3HB, has high solubility in water, making it less irritating to the skin. Therefore, compared to detergents containing citric acid or other main ingredients, this detergent is less likely to precipitate calcium salts and cause rough hands.

[0032] The detergent may be in liquid or solid form. As long as the detergent contains 3HB as one of the functional components that contributes to removing limescale, it may also contain various additives as needed.

[0033] Examples of additives include, but are not limited to, surfactants, moisturizing ingredients, thickeners, solvents, fragrances, antibacterial agents, antioxidants, chelating agents, and pH adjusters.

[0034] When the cleaner is in liquid form, it can be used in a relatively simple manner, such as by applying or spraying it onto the area where limescale or the like has formed. It is preferable to use water as the solvent. A cleaner (cleaning liquid) that uses water as the solvent can reduce production costs and prevent rough hands caused by the solvent, since the solvent, water, is non-toxic, harmless, and relatively inexpensive.

[0035] Furthermore, when the detergent is in liquid form, the 3HB concentration is preferably 1 w / v% (mass volume percent) or more, more preferably 1 w / v% to 20 w / v% or less, even more preferably 1 w / v% to 10 w / v% or less, and even more preferably 1 w / v% to 5 w / v% or less. If the 3HB concentration is within the above range, the amount of 3HB used can be reduced, and sufficient limescale removal effect can be obtained without increasing costs.

[0036] When the detergent is in a solid form, examples include a powder containing 3HB and a tablet formed from this powder. The advantage of a solid detergent is that it is easy to store.

[0037] As long as the powder contains 3HB, there are no particular restrictions on the presence or amount of other additives. For example, when the powder is to be subjected to tableting, appropriate amounts of additives such as excipients and binders may be added, taking into consideration compression moldability, etc. The amount of 3HB contained in the powder may also be determined appropriately depending on the manner in which the detergent is used.

[0038] The solid detergent can be used, for example, by adding 3HB to water stored in an electric kettle so that the 3HB concentration is approximately 1 w / v% or more. Even in this case, from the perspective of limiting the amount of 3HB used and achieving the necessary and sufficient limescale removal effect of 3HB without increasing costs, the 3HB concentration is preferably 1 w / v% to 20 w / v%, more preferably 1 w / v% to 10 w / v%, and even more preferably 1 w / v% to 5 w / v%.

[0039] [Experimental Example] The present invention will be described in more detail below based on experimental examples, although it goes without saying that the present invention is not limited to these examples.

[0040] [Calcium carbonate solubility test] Calcium carbonate was used as a simulated limescale, and the solubility of calcium carbonate in aqueous solutions of 3-hydroxybutyric acid, acetic acid, and citric acid was examined.

[0041] Specifically, in the solubility test, 5 w / v% aqueous solutions of R-3-hydroxybutyric acid (synthesized by Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.), acetic acid (manufactured by Kanto Chemical Co., Ltd.), and citric acid (manufactured by Kishida Chemical Co., Ltd.) were prepared, and approximately 80 mg of calcium carbonate (manufactured by Hayashi Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was added to 200 μL of each aqueous solution, mixed, and then allowed to stand at room temperature for approximately 5 minutes. After that, filtration was performed, and the solubility was calculated based on the difference in weight between the added calcium carbonate and the undissolved calcium carbonate recovered by filtration.

[0042] Figure 1 is a graph summarizing the results of the solubility test. As can be seen from the figure, when comparing the solubility of calcium carbonate in the 3HB aqueous solution with that in the acetic acid and citric acid solutions (0.013 g / mL for the acetic acid solution and 0.0105 g / mL for the citric acid solution), the solubility in the 3HB aqueous solution is 0.018 g / mL, meaning that the 3HB aqueous solution has a higher solubility of calcium carbonate than the acetic acid and citric acid solutions. This indicates that 3HB dissolves calcium carbonate, which causes limescale, more easily than acetic acid or citric acid, and that detergents containing 3HB are equally effective at removing limescale as detergents containing acetic acid or citric acid.

[0043] In addition, the solubility of calcium carbonate at different concentrations of 3HB was examined.

[0044] Specifically, 3HB aqueous solutions with different concentrations (0.5 w / v%, 1 w / v%, 2.5 w / v%, 5 w / v%, 10 w / v%, 20 w / v%, and 40 w / v%) were prepared, and the solubility was calculated using the same procedure as above. Figure 2 is a graph summarizing the results.

[0045] As can be seen from Figure 2, calcium carbonate dissolves at 3HB concentrations of 1 w / v% or higher. While solubility tends to increase with increasing concentration, it reaches a maximum at approximately 20 w / v%, and there is no significant change in solubility with increasing concentrations. This suggests that a 3HB concentration of 20 w / v% or less is preferable from a cost-effective standpoint. Furthermore, while commercially available limescale removers containing citric acid as the active ingredient have citric acid concentrations of approximately 2-5 w / v%, the results shown in Figures 1 and 2 suggest that even if the citric acid concentration of the commercially available product is assumed to be 5 w / v%, a 3HB aqueous solution concentration of approximately 2.5 w / v% is sufficient to achieve the same limescale removal effect (or, in other words, the same solubility).

[0046] [Precipitation test] 20 mg of calcium carbonate was added to 1 ml of each of the 5 w / v% 3HB aqueous solution and the citric acid aqueous solution prepared in the "Calcium Carbonate Solubility Test" above, mixed, and then allowed to stand at room temperature for 24 hours. After that, the white precipitate was collected by filtration and its weight was measured.

[0047] Figure 3 is a graph summarizing the results of the precipitation test. Figures 4 and 5 are photographs of the state of each sample during the precipitation test, with Figure 4 taken immediately after mixing and Figure 5 taken 17 hours after mixing. As shown in Figure 3, the 3HB aqueous solution produced significantly less precipitate than the citric acid aqueous solution. As can be seen from Figures 4 and 5, both aqueous solutions were nearly transparent immediately after mixing, but with the citric acid aqueous solution, white precipitates had solidified throughout the container after 17 hours. This confirms that when citric acid is used to remove calcium carbonate and other substances, calcium citrate precipitates even after the calcium carbonate is removed, whereas when 3HB is used, calcium salt precipitation is virtually nonexistent.

[0048] [Calcium salt solubility test] 3HB calcium (manufactured by Osaka Gas Co., Ltd.) and calcium citrate (manufactured by Kishida Chemical Co., Ltd.) were added to water at room temperature to give concentrations of 0.5 mg / ml, 1 mg / ml, 3 mg / ml, 10 mg / ml, and 100 mg / ml. The amount of residual solution was observed, and if the solution was completely dissolved, it was marked as "○", and if the solution was partially dissolved, it was marked as "×".

[0049] As shown in Table 1, 3HB calcium has extremely high solubility in water compared to calcium citrate. For this reason, detergents containing 3HB can suppress calcium salt precipitation when removing limescale compared to detergents containing citric acid.

[0050] [Table 1] [Industrial Applicability]

[0051] The cleaning agent and scale removal method of the present invention can be used to remove scale and the like.

Claims

1. A solid cleaning agent containing 3-hydroxybutyric acid as its main ingredient.

2. A cleaning agent containing 3-hydroxybutyric acid as its main ingredient and acting as a limescale remover.

3. 3. The cleaning agent according to claim 2, which is a solution containing at least 3-hydroxybutyric acid and water.

4. 4. The cleaning agent according to claim 3, wherein the concentration of the 3-hydroxybutyric acid is 1 w / v % or more.

5. The cleaning agent according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the 3-hydroxybutyric acid has an R conformation.

6. The cleaning agent according to any one of claims 1 to 5, further comprising an additive.

7. 2. The cleaning agent according to claim 1, which is a limescale remover.

8. A method for removing limescale, comprising dissolving mineral components contained in limescale using the cleaning agent according to any one of claims 1 to 7, thereby removing the limescale.

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