GB2159716A

GB2159716A - Disinfectant composition

Info

Publication number: GB2159716A
Application number: GB08514460A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Colin Hok Ling Sun
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1984-06-08
Filing date: 1985-06-07
Publication date: 1985-12-11
Also published as: GB8414713D0; GB8514460D0

Abstract

Disinfectant composition comprising, in aqueous medium, sodium lactate, an acid material, especially hydrochloric acid, and a chlorite which produces chlorine dioxide on reaction with the acid material, for example sodium chlorite, said composition having a pH of not more than about 7.

Description

SPECIFICATION Disinfectant composition and method This invention relates to disinfectant compositions and to methods for their production.

Chlorine compounds have been used for cleaning, sanitizing and disinfecting. Chlorine dioxide has been found to be very effective and has been used widely as a bleaching agent with its oxidizing property. It is currently available as a swimming pool disinfecting powder and an agent for treatment of water supplies. It is bactericidal, virusidal and sporicidal. Its disadvantages are that it is poisonous and explosive in its concentrated form. Hence the stable and safer sodium chlorite is being transported and handled to produce chlorine dioxide in one of three ways, viz: (A) Addition of acid.

H + NaCIO2oHCIO2 + Na +; 5HCIO2 )4CIO2 + HCI + 2H2O (b) Addition of bleach (hypochlorite).

2NaCIO2 + NaCIO + H2Oo2CIO2 + 2NaOH + NaCI (C) Addition of Chlorine.

2NaCIO2 + Cl2 < 2CIO2 + 2NaCI The cheapest of the above is (A) by adding acid to sodium chlorite but the evolved CIO2 has a low solubility and tends to react again with the acid hence giving problems of storage and poor yield.

According to the present invention there is provided a new disinfectant composition and method for producing a disinfectant composition, as hereinafter described.

Objects of the invention include:1. To provide a non-toxic, non-antibiotic disinfectant suitable to be used on various germ carriers including human.

2. To provide a disinfectant which is a true fungicide, bactericide and viruside superior to currently available products.

3. To provide a composition with minimal loss of active ingredients.

4. To provide a germicide suitable for food sterilization, utensils sterilization and curative for human conditions.

5. To provide a stable composition.

6. To provide a process for disinfecting.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a disinfectant composition comprising, in aqueous medium, sodium lactate, an acid material and a chlorite which produces chlorine dioxide on reaction with the acid material, said composition having a pH of not more than about 7.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a disinfectant composition comprising mixing together the ingredients described in the immediately preceding paragraph, whereby the sodium lactate and the acid material are mixed together before the chlorite is added.

According to a further aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of producing a disinfectant composition comprising mixing together, in aqueous medium, sodium lactate, an acid material and a chlorite which produces chlorine dioxide on reaction with the acid material, to produce a composition having a pH of not more than 7, and encasing the product in a substantially air-free container.

According to the present invention also there is provided a disinfectant composition produced by a method described in the two immediately preceding paragraphs.

Further there is provided a means of reducing or inhibiting infection by germs comprising applying a disinfectant composition according to this invention.

The chlorite employed in the present invention typically is sodium chlorite, although other ClO2-producing chlorites, for example calcium or potassium chlorite, may be employed alternatively.

It appears that the sodium lactate works synergistically with the clorite, especially sodium chlorite, to produce enhanced germicidal properties.

The acid material may be an organic or inorganic acid, and a particularly preferred acid material is hydrochloric acid. It is found that hydrochloric acid, when in admixture with sodium lactate, does not react with chlorine dioxide like other acids, and hence a stable solution of chlorine dioxide is produced. This unusual stability appears to be owing to the formation of a complex of chlorine dioxide, chlorous acid, lactic acid and sodium lactate, which is colourless and has a characteristic sweet scent.

A typical disinfectant composition in accordance with the invention comprises, in aqueous medium, about 2.31% by weight sodium chiorite, about 11.56% by weight sodium lactate, and an acid material, preferably hydrochloric acid, in an amount to produce a pH of not more than about 7.

A preferred order to incorporating the ingredients comprises adding the chlorite after the sodium lactate and acid material.

It is found that the stability of the composition can be enhanced or preserved by employing a substantially air-free environment during and/or after production of the composition. Preferably the composition is encased in a substantially air-free container immediately after production. The container may include an inert gas, for example nitrogen or a fluorinated hydrocarbon, and may be in the form of a dispenser for the composition, for example an aerosol or manual compression spray-dispenser.

The composition generally is non-toxic and generally is tolerated by skin and the oral route.

Some uses are as follows: 1. Sterilization of equipment, such as medical and dental equipment, food processing equipment and other hygiene equipment.

2. Sterilization of food, including being a preservative of food.

3. Sterilization of enclosed environments e.g. hospital theatres, hospital rooms, clinics, segregation chambers, etc.

4. Sterilization of the human body; germicidal effect on skin, abscess of various parts of body, V.D., acne, ulcers, etc.

5. Dairy uses.

6. Veterinary uses as a germicide.

Claims

1. A disinfectant composition comprising, in aqueous medium, sodium lactate, an acid material and a chlorite which produces chlorine dioxide on reaction with the acid material, said composition having a pH of not more than about 7.

2. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the chlorite is sodium chlorite.

3. A composition according to claim 1 wherein the chlorite is potassium or calcium chlorite.

4. A composition according to any of the preceding claims wherein the acid material is an organic or inorganic acid.

5. A composition according to claim 4 wherein the acid material is hydrochloric acid.

6. A disinfectant composition comprising, in aqueous medium, about 2.31% by weight sodium chlorite, about 11.56% by weight sodium lactate, and an acid material in an amount to produce a pH of not more than about 7.

7. A composition according to claim 6 in which the acid material is hydrochloric acid.

8. A method of producing a disinfectant composition comprising mixing together the ingredients of the composition defined in any of the preceding claims, whereby the sodium lactate and the acid material are mixed together before the chlorite is added.

9. A method of producing a disinfectant composition comprising mixing the ingredients of the composition defined in any of claims 1 to 7 and encasing the product in a substantially airfree container.

1 0. A method according to claim 9 wherein the mixing takes place in a substantially air-free environment.

11. A method according to claim 9 or 10 wherein the chlorite is mixed in after the sodium lactate and acid material.

1 2. A method according to any of claims 9 to 11 wherein the container contains an inert gas.

1 3. A method according to claim 1 2 wherein the inert gas is nitrogen or a fluorinated hydrocarbon.

14. A method according to any of claims 9 to 13, wherein the container is a dispenser for the composition.

1 5. A method according to claim 14 wherein the dispenser is an aerosol dispenser.

16. Use of the composition according to any of claims 1 to 7 or the product of the methods according to any of claims 9 to 1 5 to reduce or inhibit infection by germs.