Self-Inactivating Biocidal Aerosol for Rapid Residue Neutralization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current disinfection and sterilization methods using peroxide vapors or aerosols face challenges in efficiently removing residual biocides from large spaces, leading to prolonged treatment times and increased energy costs, while also dealing with toxic byproducts and surface residue issues.
Innovation Solution
A self-inactivating biocidal aerosol is developed, where hydrogen peroxide or peracetic acid is combined with a catalyst or antagonist in an aerosol form, allowing for simultaneous disinfection and rapid neutralization of the biocide into harmless oxygen and water, eliminating the need for extensive air replacement and reducing treatment times.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If peroxide vapor or aerosol is used for disinfection in large spaces, then biocidal efficacy is improved, but residual biocide removal time increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a catalyst as an intermediary substance that mediates the decomposition of residual peroxide biocide. The catalyst particles, when aerosolized and introduced into the treated space, serve as a mediator to accelerate the breakdown of harmful residues into harmless products (oxygen and water), thereby resolving the contradiction between maintaining effective biocidal concentrations and rapidly removing residues.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state and reactivity parameters of the peroxide biocide by introducing catalytic substances. This parameter change enables the peroxide to transform from a stable residual state into an actively decomposing state, accelerating its conversion to oxygen and water. This resolves the time contradiction by modifying the decomposition kinetics without affecting the initial disinfection efficacy.
2Reliability
If peroxide vapor or aerosol is used for disinfection, then disinfection effectiveness is improved, but energy consumption for air replacement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst acts as an intermediary that enables in-situ decomposition of residual peroxide, eliminating the need for energy-intensive air replacement processes. By introducing this catalytic mediator, the system can safely and rapidly decompose residues locally without requiring mechanical ventilation or air exchange, thereby dramatically reducing energy consumption while maintaining disinfection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the disinfection system to be self-service by allowing residual peroxide to decompose automatically through catalytic action. Instead of requiring external energy input for air replacement and residue removal, the system uses the catalyst to trigger self-decomposition of the biocide residues, converting them into harmless oxygen and water that can remain safely in the environment.
3Reliability
If peroxide aerosol is used for disinfection, then biocidal action is enhanced, but hazardous residues are generated
Solution Approach 1:
The catalyst serves as an intermediary substance that transforms the harmful peroxide residues into harmless products. By introducing this catalytic mediator, the system converts the hazardous residue problem into a beneficial decomposition process, where the catalyst facilitates the breakdown of peroxide into oxygen and water, thereby eliminating hazardous residues while preserving biocidal action during the treatment phase.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the principle of converting harm into benefit by using the catalyst to transform hazardous peroxide residues into beneficial harmless substances (oxygen and water). The same peroxide that provides biocidal action during treatment is converted into a beneficial oxygen source after treatment through catalytic decomposition, thereby converting the harmful residue into a beneficial outcome.
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
This approach significantly shortens the time required to reduce peroxide concentrations to safe levels, enhances biocidal efficacy, and avoids the use of hazardous residues, making it suitable for both small and large spaces without the need for costly vacuum equipment or prolonged treatment cycles.
Implementation Method 1
whereby destruction of the peroxide biocide occurs when droplets of the peroxide contact droplets of the antagonist as a result of collision, coalescence or condensation
Implementation Method 2
an aerosol comprising droplets dispersed in a carrier gas, wherein at least some of the droplets contain a peroxide biocide; and at least some of the droplets in the aerosol contain an antagonist
Data Source
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AI summary
Aerosols comprising droplets dispersed in a carrier gas, wherein at least some of the droplets contain an antagonist effective to inactivate a biocide are provided. The droplets may contain the biocide and the antagonist that reacts with the biocide to render it harmless. The biocide is used for disinfection or sterilization, and the nature and concentration of the antagonist is selected, or means are provided, to ensure that the time required for the antagonist to render the biocide ineffective is longer than the time required for the biocide to be effective for a desired level of disinfection or sterilization. Methods of manufacture of aerosols are also provided.