A method for enhancing or reducing photosynthetic activity, wherein non-toxic, pigmented matter is applied to a photosynthetic organism. Depending on the composition of the pigmented matter, the method will have the effect of enhancing, reducing, or inhibiting photosynthetic activity.

Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amines, wherein the fatty amine is made by reducing the amide reaction product of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and a secondary amine, are disclosed. Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amidoamines, wherein the amidoamine is made by reacting of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and an aminoalkyl-substituted tertiary amine, are also disclosed. The quaternized compositions are advantageously sulfonated or sulfitated. In one aspect, the ester derivative of the C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid or octadecene-1,18-dioic acid is a lower alkyl ester. In other aspects, the ester derivative is a modified triglyceride made by self-metathesis of a natural oil or an unsaturated triglyceride made by cross-metathesis of a natural oil with an olefin. The quaternary ammonium, betaine, and sulfobetaine compositions and their sulfonated or sulfitated derivatives are valuable for a wide variety of end uses, including cleaners, fabric treatment, hair conditioning, personal care (liquid cleansing products, conditioning bars, oral care products), antimicrobial compositions, agricultural uses, and oil field applications.

Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amines, wherein the fatty amine is made by reducing the amide reaction product of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and a secondary amine, are disclosed. Quaternary ammonium, betaine, or sulfobetaine compositions derived from fatty amidoamines, wherein the amidoamine is made by reacting of a metathesis-derived C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid, octadecene-1,18-dioic acid, or their ester derivatives and an aminoalkyl-substituted tertiary amine, are also disclosed. The quaternized compositions are advantageously sulfonated or sulfitated. In one aspect, the ester derivative of the C.sub.10-C.sub.17 monounsaturated acid or octadecene-1,18-dioic acid is a lower alkyl ester. In other aspects, the ester derivative is a modified triglyceride made by self-metathesis of a natural oil or an unsaturated triglyceride made by cross-metathesis of a natural oil with an olefin. The quaternary ammonium, betaine, and sulfobetaine compositions and their sulfonated or sulfitated derivatives are valuable for a wide variety of end uses, including cleaners, fabric treatment, hair conditioning, personal care (liquid cleansing products, conditioning bars, oral care products), antimicrobial compositions, agricultural uses, and oil field applications.

The present invention is directed to antiviral compositions that provide efficacy against non-envelope viruses such as noroviruses. The antiviral compositions comprise an alkyl 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid and an effective amount of a sulfonated surfactant. The composition may be used as a topical on human skin, as a hand sanitizer or as a hard surface cleaning composition.

The present invention is directed to antiviral compositions that provide efficacy against non-envelope viruses such as noroviruses. The antiviral compositions comprise an alkyl 2-hydroxycarboxylic acid and an effective amount of a sulfonated surfactant. The composition may be used as a topical on human skin, as a hand sanitizer or as a hard surface cleaning composition.

A pest-combating composition including sodium lauryl sulfate and one or more of C.sub.6-12 fatty acids, preferably lauric and/or capric and/or caprylic acid, soy methyl ester, and 2-undecanone, and methods of combating pests utilizing same, are disclosed. The compositions can include a carrier oil such as silicon oil, soy methyl ester, or a vegetable oil, and can be in the form of an emulsion. The composition may be constituted as a spray composition, an aerosol, a lotion, a paste, or another compositional form. Pests that may be usefully combated with such composition include flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, and wasps, ants, including arthropods such as fire ants, ticks, fleas, cockroaches, silver fish, thrips, gnats, aphids, Japanese beetles, and agricultural and horticultural arthropods and insects including beetles (potato and bean), flea beetles, fleahoppers, squash bugs, slugs, leaf hoppers, harlequin bugs, milk weed bugs, spiders, mites, lice, rodents, and deer.

A pest-combating composition including sodium lauryl sulfate and one or more of C.sub.6-12 fatty acids, preferably lauric and/or capric and/or caprylic acid, soy methyl ester, and 2-undecanone, and methods of combating pests utilizing same, are disclosed. The compositions can include a carrier oil such as silicon oil, soy methyl ester, or a vegetable oil, and can be in the form of an emulsion. The composition may be constituted as a spray composition, an aerosol, a lotion, a paste, or another compositional form. Pests that may be usefully combated with such composition include flying insects, including flies, mosquitoes, and wasps, ants, including arthropods such as fire ants, ticks, fleas, cockroaches, silver fish, thrips, gnats, aphids, Japanese beetles, and agricultural and horticultural arthropods and insects including beetles (potato and bean), flea beetles, fleahoppers, squash bugs, slugs, leaf hoppers, harlequin bugs, milk weed bugs, spiders, mites, lice, rodents, and deer.

A method of cleaning and disinfecting a surface comprises producing a diluted cleaning disinfectant solution from a concentrated cleaning disinfectant solution, and contacting the surface with the diluted solution. A concentrated cleaning disinfectant solution is stable at freezing temperatures and comprises antimicrobial acid, surface cleaning acid, solubilizing agent, hydrotrope, and surfactant. The antimicrobial acid comprises a synergistic combination of (i) salicylic acid, derivative of salicylic acid, or a combination thereof, and (ii) gluconic acid, derivative of salicylic acid, or a combination thereof. The surface cleaning acid comprises at least one acid selected from mineral acid, methane sulfonic acid, formic acid, or sulfonic acid having an alkyl group with no greater than three carbon atoms. The surfactant selected from anionic surfactant, non-ionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.

A method of cleaning and disinfecting a surface comprises producing a diluted cleaning disinfectant solution from a concentrated cleaning disinfectant solution, and contacting the surface with the diluted solution. A concentrated cleaning disinfectant solution is stable at freezing temperatures and comprises antimicrobial acid, surface cleaning acid, solubilizing agent, hydrotrope, and surfactant. The antimicrobial acid comprises a synergistic combination of (i) salicylic acid, derivative of salicylic acid, or a combination thereof, and (ii) gluconic acid, derivative of salicylic acid, or a combination thereof. The surface cleaning acid comprises at least one acid selected from mineral acid, methane sulfonic acid, formic acid, or sulfonic acid having an alkyl group with no greater than three carbon atoms. The surfactant selected from anionic surfactant, non-ionic surfactant, or a mixture thereof.

Low foaming, highly acidic peroxycarboxylic acid sanitizing compositions are disclosed as having both improved antimicrobial efficacy in comparison to conventional peroxyoctanoic acid and peroxyacetic acid compositions for sanitizing applications. The compositions include a combination of a low-foaming surfactant and an aluminum sulfate (or other metal salt) defoaming agent that is compatible with the highly acidic peroxycarboxylic acid sanitizing compositions. In particular, the sanitizing peroxycarboxylic acid compositions are also low odor and low/no VOC dual functioning acid wash and sanitizing compositions.