Alkanol-Fatty Acid Salt Sanitizing Composition for Decontamination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current sanitizing and disinfecting agents are inadequate for effectively decontaminating both living tissues and inanimate objects from chemical warfare agents, toxins, infectious agents, and conformationally altered prions, as they lack sporicidal action, are not food-grade, and can be toxic or corrosive, making them unsuitable for use on skin, food products, and healthcare settings.
Innovation Solution
Aqueous compositions comprising a mixture of lower alkanols (1-6 carbon atoms) and fatty acid derivatives, such as alkali or alkaline earth metal salts or glycerides, at a pH of 14 or above, which are applied to materials to sanitize and decontaminate, providing both germicidal and sporicidal activity while being safe for human use and the environment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If standard disinfectants (bleach, powder detergent, abrasive powder) are used for hard surface disinfection, then disinfection capability is achieved, but they are toxic or corrosive and unsuitable for use on skin and food products
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical parameters of the disinfectant by using food-grade ingredients (isopropyl alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, sodium citrate) at controlled concentrations. The pH is adjusted to 6.5-7.5 to match skin pH, eliminating corrosiveness while maintaining disinfection capability through the synergistic action of these components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite disinfectant formulation combining multiple food-grade ingredients (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, sodium citrate) that work synergistically. This composite approach provides broad-spectrum disinfection while ensuring safety for skin and food contact surfaces
2Reliability
If alcohol-based hand sanitizers are used to reduce germ transmission, then antimicrobial activity is improved, but they lack sporicidal action and cannot penetrate protein-rich materials
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges alcohol-based antimicrobial action with hydrogen peroxide sporicidal activity and citric acid/protein-denaturing capabilities. This combination allows the formulation to achieve sporicidal action, penetrate protein-rich materials, and maintain broad-spectrum antimicrobial activity that no single ingredient could provide alone
3Ease of operation
If plain soap is used for hand washing, then ease of operation is maintained, but it has minimal antimicrobial activity and can become contaminated with pathogens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a self-disinfecting hand wash formulation where the ingredients (alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, citric acid, sodium citrate) work together to provide antimicrobial activity without requiring separate disinfection steps. The formulation maintains simplicity of use like plain soap while inherently preventing contamination through its antimicrobial components
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution effectively sanitizes and decontaminates a wide range of materials, including skin, surfaces, and food products, with rapid action, residual antimicrobial effects, and safety, addressing the limitations of existing agents by providing broad-spectrum activity against pathogens and chemical warfare agents without the toxicity concerns.
Implementation Method 1
The compositions improve the decontaminating effect of lower alkanols containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms (C1-C6) by mixing them with food-grade constituents essentially comprising fatty acids derivatives and an alkalinating agent
Implementation Method 2
The resulting compositions can be used for disinfecting living tissues (skin, hands, etc.) and inanimate objects (instruments, papers and printed materials, medical equipment, hard surfaces, military and civilian facilities, etc.)
Implementation Method 3
The compositions improve the decontaminating effect of lower alkanols containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms (C1-C6) by mixing them with food-grade constituents essentially comprising fatty acids derivatives and an alkalinating agent
Data Source
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AI summary
A composition and method are described for sanitizing or otherwise treating a material such as a non-living surface, living tissue, soil or atmosphere which may be contaminated by a toxin, chemical warfare agent, insect, prion, microorganism or other infectious agent. Also described are methods of making the composition.