Low-pH Antimicrobial Composition for Rapid Disinfection at 10-40% Alcohol
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional disinfecting and sanitizing compositions require high alcohol concentrations to achieve rapid antimicrobial activity, which can cause skin dryness and irritation, and compositions with less than 40.0 wt. % alcohol are considered ineffective in killing germs within 10 minutes.
Innovation Solution
An antimicrobial composition comprising 10.0 to 40.0 wt. % C1-8 alcohols, with a synergistic combination of a surfactant, enhancer, and buffer, maintaining a pH of less than or equal to 6.0, achieving rapid microbial log reduction of greater than 4.0 log CFU/mL within 1 minute.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If high alcohol concentration (greater than 50 wt. %) is used in disinfecting compositions, then rapid antimicrobial activity is achieved, but skin dryness and irritation occur
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pH parameter of the composition to less than or equal to 6.0, which enhances the antimicrobial effectiveness of lower alcohol concentrations (10-40 wt. %) while reducing the need for high alcohol levels that cause skin irritation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention creates a composite formulation combining alcohol (10-40 wt. %) with multiple auxiliary ingredients including surfactants, enhancers, and buffers working synergistically to achieve rapid antimicrobial activity without requiring high alcohol concentrations
2Object-affected harmful factors
If alcohol concentration is reduced to less than 40.0 wt. %, then skin irritation is reduced, but antimicrobial effectiveness is considered ineffective
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pH parameter to less than or equal to 6.0, which enables lower alcohol concentrations (10-40 wt. %) to achieve rapid antimicrobial activity (greater than 4.0 log CFU/mL reduction in 1 minute), previously considered ineffective
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces buffers and enhancers as intermediary substances that facilitate the antimicrobial action of lower alcohol concentrations, enabling effectiveness at 10-40 wt. % alcohol levels
3Loss of time
If high alcohol concentration is used to achieve rapid antimicrobial activity, then exposure time is reduced, but skin harm increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the pH parameter to less than or equal to 6.0, enabling rapid antimicrobial activity (greater than 4.0 log CFU/mL reduction in 1 minute) with lower alcohol concentrations, thus reducing both exposure time and skin harm
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 composition demonstrates enhanced antimicrobial efficacy against microorganisms, meeting EPA requirements for broad spectrum disinfection and hospital-grade disinfection, even with alcohol levels up to 40 wt. %.
Implementation Method 1
the pH of the antimicrobial composition is less than or equal to about 6.0
Implementation Method 2
a surfactant
Data Source
AI summary
An antimicrobial composition is provided that comprises about 10.0 to about 40.0 wt. % of one or more C1-8 alcohols, based on the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; and two or more of a surfactant; an enhancer; and a buffer. The pH of the composition is less than or equal to about 6.0 and the composition achieves a microbial log reduction of greater than 4.0 log CFU/ml at a contact time of 1 minute, in accordance ASTM E2783.