Stable Chlorous Acid Disinfectant via pH Buffering
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional aqueous chlorous acid solutions used for disinfection in food processing are unstable, requiring immediate preparation and leading to the production of toxic chlorine dioxide, posing health and equipment risks, and have limited bactericidal effectiveness due to rapid decomposition.
Innovation Solution
A process involving the reduction of chloric acid with hydrogen peroxide to produce chlorous acid, followed by the addition of inorganic or organic acids and salts to create a transitional state that delays decomposition, maintaining stability and reducing chlorine dioxide release, while adjusting pH to optimize bactericidal activity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional ASC solution is prepared by mixing chlorous acid with acid to achieve high bactericidal effect, then bactericidal activity is improved, but stability deteriorates causing rapid decomposition and reduced effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inorganic salt (such as sodium carbonate, sodium bicarbonate, or potassium carbonate) as an intermediary substance to buffer the pH of the chlorous acid solution. This intermediary prevents direct strong acidification that would cause rapid decomposition, while still maintaining the solution in the acidic pH range (2.3-3.2) necessary for bactericidal activity. The inorganic salt acts as a pH buffer, stabilizing the solution composition without compromising its disinfectant properties.
2Stability of the object's composition
If ASC solution is prepared immediately before use to maintain stability, then decomposition is reduced, but ease of operation deteriorates due to inconvenient preparation procedure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by pre-mixing the inorganic salt with the chlorous acid solution during the preparation process. This preliminary buffering action establishes the stable pH environment before the solution is used, ensuring stability is built into the solution itself rather than requiring immediate preparation. The inorganic salt is incorporated in advance to prevent decomposition throughout the solution's shelf life.
3Reliability
If conventional ASC solution is used to achieve disinfection, then bactericidal effect is improved, but harmful factors worsen due to production of toxic chlorine dioxide gas
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the potentially harmful decomposition of chlorous acid into a beneficial process by controlling the pH environment. Instead of allowing uncontrolled decomposition that produces toxic chlorine dioxide gas, the inorganic salt buffer guides the decomposition to occur at controlled rates, maintaining the solution's disinfectant properties while minimizing harmful gas generation. The controlled acidic environment converts what would be a harmful rapid decomposition into a stable, safe formulation.
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 process results in a stable, long-acting aqueous chlorous acid solution with enhanced bactericidal activity and reduced chlorine dioxide generation, allowing for safe, prolonged use and commercial distribution as a disinfectant.
Implementation Method 1
a process involving the reduction of chloric acid with hydrogen peroxide to produce chlorous acid
Implementation Method 2
followed by the addition of inorganic or organic acids and salts to create a transitional state that delays decomposition, maintaining stability and reducing chlorine dioxide release, while adjusting pH to optimize bactericidal activity
Data Source
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AI summary
A process for producing aqueous chlorous acid solution in which chlorous acid, which is safe for the human body, is easy to handle, and less generates chlorine dioxide, is yielded and used as a disinfectant for a pretreatment in food processing. To an aqueous sodium chlorate solution is added sulfuric acid or an aqueous solution thereof in such an amount and concentration that the pH of the aqueous solution can be kept at 2.3-3.4 to thereby react them and generate chloric acid. Subsequently, hydrogen peroxide is added to the chloric acid in an amount which is equal to or larger than the amount necessary for a reduction reaction to thereby yield chlorous acid. Any one of inorganic acids, inorganic acid salts, organic acids, and organic acid salts, or two or more thereof, or a combination or these is added to the aqueous solution containing chlorous acid yielded, whereby the chlorous and acid can be present for long and the pH of the aqueous solution is regulated to regulated to 3.2-7.0. Thus, high bactericidal power is imparted thereto.