LIQUID CLEANING AGENT CONCENTRATE, READY-TO-USE SOLUTION, USES THEREOF AND CLEANING METHODS
20230399593 · 2023-12-14
Inventors
Cpc classification
C11D1/10
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C11D3/48
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
International classification
C11D11/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C11D1/10
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C11D3/48
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
C11D3/00
CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
Abstract
Liquid cleaning agent concentrate comprising: a. at least one fatty alcohol alkoxylate, b: at least one amino acid-based surfactant, c. at least one hydrotropic agent, and d. at least one enzyme, preferably proteolytic enzyme, a pH of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate being 9 or >9. The invention also relates to a ready-to-use solution; to uses thereof for cleaning and/or disinfecting objects and to cleaning methods.
Claims
1.-17. (canceled)
18. A liquid cleaning agent concentrate for machine cleaning and/or disinfection of medical and/or surgical instruments and/or apparatus, comprising: a. at least one fatty alcohol alkoxylate, b. at least one amino acid-based surfactant, c. at least one hydrotrope, and d. at least one enzyme, preferably proteolytic enzyme, wherein the pH of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate is >9.
19. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the liquid cleaning agent concentrate has a pH of 9-12, preferably 10-12, more preferably 10-11.
20. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the at least one fatty alcohol alkoxylate is selected from fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAEO), fatty alcohol propoxylates (FAPO), butyl-etherified fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAEOBV), butyl-etherified fatty alcohol propoxylates (FAPOBV), methyl-etherified fatty alcohol ethoxylates (FAEOMV), methyl-etherified fatty alcohol propoxylates (FAPOMV), fatty alcohol-based EO/PO copolymers (FAEOPO), butyl-etherified fatty alcohol-based EO/PO copolymers (FAEOPOBV) and methyl-etherified fatty alcohol-based EO/PO copolymers (FAEOPOMV), wherein the fatty alcohol alkoxylate is preferably a fatty alcohol-based EO/PO copolymer.
21. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the fatty alcohol alkoxylate has at least one of the following features: comprises 0-10 EO units, preferably 1-4 EO units, more preferably 1-2 EO units, comprises 0-8 PO units, preferably 1-8 PO units, more preferably 4-8 PO units, has at least one C6-C16 fatty alcohol radical, preferably C12-C15 fatty alcohol radical, is selected from the group consisting of C12-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/6 PO units, C12-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 8 EO/4 PO units, butyl- or methyl-etherified C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 10 EO units, C10-C12 fatty alcohol radical having 6 EO/8 PO units, C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/4 PO units, C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 4 EO/5 PO units, methyl-etherified C13-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 5 EO/3 PO units and C13-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 5 EO/3 PO units, preferably selected from C12-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/6 PO units, C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/4 PO units and C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 4 EO/5 PO units.
22. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the amino acid-based surfactant has at least one of the following features: the amino acid-based surfactant is selected from compounds having a saturated or monounsaturated C10-C18 carbon radical, preferably a saturated C12-C16 carbon radical; the amino acid-based surfactant is selected from sarcosines, taurines, glutamic acids and salts thereof, preferably sarcosines and sodium salts thereof; the amino acid-based surfactant is selected from lauroyl sarcosine, oleoyl sarcosine, myristoyl sarcosine, stearoyl sarcosine and lauroyl glutamic acid and salts thereof, preferably lauroyl sarcosine and lauroyl glutamic acid and sodium salts thereof.
23. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the at least one hydrotrope is selected from: alkyl sulfates, preferably C6-C10-alkyl sulfates and sodium salts thereof, more preferably sodium octyl sulfate and sodium ethylhexyl sulfate; alkyl sulfonates, preferably C6-C10-alkyl sulfonates; aromatic sulfonates, preferably xylene sulfonate, p-toluenesulfonate and sodium salts thereof; propionates, preferably isooctylimino dipropionate, n-octylimino dipropionate, caprylic and capric amphopropionate; C4-C10-alkyl ether carboxylic acids having 4-10 EO units, preferably alkyl(8) polyether carboxylic acid having 8 EO units and alkyl(4-8) polyether carboxylic acid having 5 EO units; alkyl glycosides, alkyl diglycosides, alkyl polyglycosides and mixtures thereof, wherein the alkyl radical is preferably a branched or unbranched C4-C16-alkyl radical and the glycoside radical is preferably selected from hexose unit and pentose unit, more preferably selected from glucopyranose unit and xylopyranose unit.
24. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the hydrotrope is sodium octyl sulfate, sodium ethylhexyl sulfate or a mixture thereof.
25. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that the liquid cleaning agent concentrate also comprises further constituents selected from alkanolamines, alkali metal hydroxides, chelating agents, solvents, corrosion inhibitors, fragrances and dyes.
26. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 25, characterized in that the alkali metal hydroxide is potassium hydroxide.
27. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, characterized in that at least one of the following constituents in the liquid cleaning agent concentrate is present at the following proportions by weight: the fatty alcohol alkoxylate at a proportion by weight of 0.1 to 9% by weight, preferably from 0.4 to 2% by weight, based on the total mass of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate; the amino acid-based surfactant at a proportion by weight of 0.05 to 5% by weight, preferably 0.1 to 2% by weight, based on the total mass of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate; the hydrotrope at a proportion by weight of 0.05 to 13% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 7% by weight, more preferably from 0.15 to 3.5% by weight, based on the total mass of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate; the enzyme at a proportion by weight of 0.05 to 4% by weight, preferably from 0.1 to 2% by weight, based on the total mass of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate.
28. A ready-to-use application solution comprising 0.05 to 99.9% of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18, wherein the pH of the ready-to-use application solution is >9.
29. The ready-to-use application solution as claimed in claim 28, characterized in that the liquid cleaning agent concentrate has a pH of 9-12, preferably 10-12, more preferably 10-11.
30. The use of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate as claimed in claim 18 for cleaning and/or disinfection of objects, preferably for machine cleaning and/or disinfection of objects.
31. The use as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the objects are medical and/or surgical instruments and/or apparatus.
32. The use as claimed in claim 30, characterized in that the liquid cleaning agent concentrate or the ready-to-use application solution are dispensed cold, preferably at a temperature of 38° C. or less, more preferably from 18 to 35° C., even more preferably from 20 to 30° C., still more preferably from 22 to 27° C., even further preferably at about 25° C.
33. A method for cleaning medical and/or surgical instruments and/or apparatus, characterized by the following steps: a) preparing a ready-to-use application solution as claimed in claim 28, b) cleaning the medical and/or surgical instruments and/or apparatus with the ready-to-use application solution.
34. The method as claim in claim 33, characterized that the ready-to-use application solution is prepared cold, preferably at a temperature of 38° C. or less, more preferably from 18 to 35° C., even more preferably from 20 to 30° C., even further preferably from 22 to 27° C., still further preferably at about 25° C.
Description
[0075] The invention will now be described by way of example on the basis of certain advantageous embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. Shown are:
[0076]
[0077]
[0078]
[0079]
[0080]
[0081]
[0082]
[0083] 1. FATTY ALCOHOL ALKOXYLATE
[0084] Seven different fatty alcohol alkoxylates having variable chain lengths of the fatty alcohol radical and different degrees of ethoxylation or propoxylation (i.e. FA C12-C15 having 2 EO/6 PO, FA C12-C14 having 2 EO/4 PO, FA C12-C14 having 4 EO/5 PO, FA C12-C15 having 8 EO/4 PO, butyl-etherified FA C12-C14 having 10 EO, FA C12-C12 having 6 EO/8 PO, methyl-etherified FA C13-C15 having 5 EO/3 PO) were tested with regard to their foam-dampening properties in a ready-to-use application solution having an otherwise unchanged cleaning formulation. The respective suitability of the fatty alcohol alkoxylate for use in a machine cleaning process was assessed by measuring the metering pump pressure throughout a cleaning operation (cf.
[0085]
[0086] The fatty alcohol alkoxylates a) C12-C15 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/6 PO units, b) C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 2 EO/4 PO units and c) C12-C14 fatty alcohol radical having 4 EO/5 PO units were found to be particularly advantageous. The associated pressure-time graphs of the fatty alcohol alkoxylates according to the invention of the respective machine washing cycle are shown in
[0087] 2. AMINO ACID-BASED SURFACTANT
[0088] Five different amino acid-based surfactants (i.e. sodium lauroyl sarcosinate, sodium oleoyl sarcosinate, sodium myristoyl sarcosinate, sodium stearoyl sarcosinate, sodium lauroyl glutamate) were tested with regard to their corrosion-inhibiting properties in a ready-to-use application solution having an otherwise unchanged cleaning formulation in comparison with a reference formulation containing a common non-amino acid-based surfactant (i.e. sodium cumene sulfonate). For the assessment, corrosion tests were carried out with GG25 gray cast iron chips in accordance with DIN 51360 Part 2.
1. Corrosion Tests with GG25 Gray Cast Iron Chips in Accordance with DIN 51360 Part 2
a. Equipment and Materials [0089] Petri dishes, ø100 mm (glass or plastic) [0090] filter paper, ø70 mm, 589 from Whatman, ash-free, medium-fast filtration [0091] GG25 gray cast iron chips according to DIN 51360 Part 2 (Riegger Industriehandel, article 03-39) [0092] demineralized water
b. Procedure
[0093] Using a spoon spatula, 2 g±0.1 g of the chips were weighed onto the filter paper placed in the Petri dish. The chips were distributed as centrally as possible over an area of ø40-50 mm. The chips and the filter paper were wetted evenly with 2 ml of the 2.5% ready-to-use application solution and the Petri dish was sealed with the lid. The samples prepared in this way were stored for 2 hours±10 minutes at room temperature (20-25° C.) without direct sunlight or drafts. The chips were removed and discarded. The filter paper was rinsed under running demineralized water and rinsed in acetone for 5-10 seconds. The filter paper was dried at room temperature (20-25° C.). The degree of corrosion was determined immediately after drying. Each test was carried out in duplicate.
c. Evaluation
[0094] For the evaluation, instead of a visual assessment, the area of the corrosion that occurred was related to the total area of the filter paper used. The integrals of the areas were determined using ImageJ software.
d. Result
[0095] All the test preparations of the ready-to-use application solutions containing an amino acid-based surfactant show significantly improved corrosion inhibition behavior compared to the reference formulation without an amino acid-based surfactant. The best results are achieved with the ready-to-use application solutions containing the amino acid-based surfactants sodium lauroyl sarcosinate and sodium lauroyl glutamate. The corrosion behavior on GG25 gray cast iron can be seen in
[0096] 3. HYDROTROPE
[0097] Eight different compounds from different classes of substance, i.e. each selected from alkyl ether carboxylic acids, alkyl sulfates, alkyl sulfonates, aromatic sulfonates, alkyl glycosides, alkyl diglycosides and alkyl polyglycosides, were tested for their suitability as a hydrotrope in ready-to-use application solutions. The test parameters used for the assessment were the cloud point and the metering pump pressure during a machine washing operation.
[0098] Surprisingly, the combination of constituents that is according to the invention achieves a cloud point of >40° C. for the ready-to-use application solutions. This is particularly advantageous because this is generally also the application temperature or the storage temperature in the washer disinfector. Especially the application solutions comprising alkyl sulfates as a hydrotrope show very good results. By contrast, the cloud point without the combination according to the invention is only around 20° C.
[0099] 4. Combination of Fatty Alcohol Alkoxylate, Amino Acid-Based Surfactant and Hydrotrope
[0100] Various combinations of amino acid-based surfactants and hydrotropes with the best fatty alcohol alkoxylate from the section above were tested in ready-to-use application solutions.
[0101] In immersion bath tests, the formulation variants were tested for their cleaning performance with regard to sheep's blood and a mixture of blood and Betaisodona tincture. In machine washing tests, the metering pump pressure was followed over the course of a complete cleaning cycle as a measure of the foaming behavior. At the same time, 10 ml of blood were additionally added to the cleaning bath, which causes increased foam formation and can simulate the reprocessing of heavily soiled instruments.
1. Cleaning Tests in the Immersion Bath
[0102] a. Equipment and Materials [0103] stainless steel plate (slightly roughened, area 1 cm×9 cm) [0104] sheep's blood, heparinized, with 10 IU/ml of [0105] protamine sulfate or protaminechloride: ACILA GmbH [0106] Betaisodona (10% povidone iodine solution) [0107] marker dots, ø8 mm, different colors [0108] demineralized water
b. Procedure
Preparation of Test Plates—Heparinized, Reactivated Sheep's Blood:
[0109] The heparinized sheep's blood and the protamine sulfate/protamine chloride were stored in a climate cabinet at 6° C. until the test. For the preparation of the test soiling, the sheep's blood and the protamine sulfate/protamine chloride should have reached a temperature of 20° C. The grease-free stainless steel plates were clamped on a rack and should be aligned horizontally as straight as possible.
[0110] 75 μl of protamine sulfate or protamine chloride were briefly mixed with 5 ml of heparinized sheep's blood on a magnetic stirrer in a 50 ml glass beaker. 100 μl of this solution were pipetted onto each plate and distributed evenly with an inoculation loop without contaminating the mounting holes and the lateral surfaces. Each batch was then incubated for 1 hour at room temperature in water vapor-saturated air (100% air humidity or RH). The rack of plates can be immersed in the demineralized water, but the plates must be stored above the water level. To set 100% RH, the bottom of an 8.5 liter plastic container was filled with at least 1 liter of demineralized water. The demineralized water must completely cover the bottom of the horizontally placed tray. The tray was covered with a lid at least 2 hours before the start (conditioning of the atmosphere). After 1 hour, the wet test specimens with the coagulated blood soiling were removed from the plastic tray and dried at room temperature.
[0111] The quality of the dry test plates was checked. Plates with air bubbles on the soiling or showing irregularities were excluded. A green marker dot was glued to each of the other plates. The test plates were stored in test tubes with screw caps at room temperature until use in the immersion test.
Preparation of Test Plates—Iodine Blood:
[0112] The defibrinated sheep's blood was stored in a climate cabinet at 6° C. until the test. For the preparation of the test soiling, the sheep's blood should have reached a temperature of 20° C. The grease-free stainless steel plates were clamped on a rack and should be aligned horizontally as straight as possible.
[0113] The defibrinated sheep's blood was briefly mixed in a 1:1 ratio with Betaisodona on a magnetic stirrer in a 50 ml glass beaker. 200 μl of this solution were pipetted onto each plate and distributed evenly with an inoculation loop without contaminating the mounting holes and the lateral surfaces. The test plates were dried at room temperature for about six hours, but at least until all plates are visually dry. The quality of the dry test plates was checked. Plates with air bubbles on the soiling or showing irregularities were excluded. An orange marker dot was glued to each of the other plates. The test plates were stored in test tubes with screw caps at room temperature until use in the immersion test.
Immersion Test Procedure:
[0114] Concentration: 2 ml/l [0115] Water quality: demineralized water [0116] Temperature: 45° C.±1° C. [0117] Holding time: 4 and 10 min [0118] Stirring speed: 350 rev/min (IKA RCT classic stirrer) [0119] Initial charge: 1000 ml solution in a 1000 ml glass beaker [0120] Test plate: heparinized, reactivated sheep's blood iodine blood
[0121] The soiled test plates were each individually immersed into the solution. Removal was followed by brief immersion in cold demineralized water. The plates were dried horizontally at room temperature. The visual evaluation was carried out with the dried plates. The test plates with the soiling by heparinized, reactivated sheep's blood were stained with a 0.1% amido black solution.
c. Evaluation
[0122] The evaluation was carried out visually with the dried plates. In addition, the evaluation was also carried out here using the integrals of the remaining blood residues in relation to the total area of the test specimen with the aid of ImageJ software.
d. Results
[0123] Table 1 below summarizes the test results. In addition to the constituents listed in Table 1, the liquid cleaning agent concentrates tested were also prepared from the following, otherwise unchanged constituents:
TABLE-US-00001 3.5% by weight endoprotease 8.0% by weight 45% KOH 16% by weight 99% triethanolamine 12.0% by weight 40% MGDA, 3Na 10% by weight 50% PBTC to 100% by weight water
TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 1 Test results in relation to pump pressure and cleaning performance. Cleaning Fatty Amino acid- Pump perfor- alcohol based Hydrotrope pressure mance 1 0.5 wt % FA 0.5 wt % 30% 0.8 wt % very very C12/C14 Na lauroyl 42% Na octyl good good 2EO/6PO sarcosinate sulfate 2 0.5 wt % FA 0.5 wt % 30% 1.6 wt % good very C12/C14 Na lauroyl 42% Na good 2EO/6PO sarcosinate ethylhexyl 3 0.5 wt % FA — 1.7 wt % very moderate C12/C14 42% Na octyl good 2EO/6PO sulfate 4 0.5 wt % FA 0.8 wt % — very very C12/C14 30% Na poor poor 2EO/6PO lauroyl 5 0.5 wt % FA — 15 wt % 40% very poor C12/C14 Na cumene good 2EO/6PO sulfonate
[0124] The liquid cleaning agent concentrate comprising a combination of fatty alcohol alkoxylate and amino acid-based surfactant without the addition of a hydrotrope (comparative test 4) shows the worst cleaning performance and the worst pump pressure behavior of the test series. The second worst cleaning result is achieved by the liquid cleaning agent concentrate containing sodium cumene sulfonate (comparative test 5), though very good pressure behavior is observed here. The liquid cleaning agent concentrate comprising fatty alcohol alkoxylate and the hydrotrope sodium octyl sulfate (comparative test 3) shows very good pump pressure behavior with only moderate cleaning performance. The addition of the amino acid-based surfactant which cleans poorly in sole combination with the fatty alcohol alkoxylate (comparative test 4) led to very good cleaning performance of the liquid cleaning agent concentrate with a good pump pressure curve in the machine test (test 2).
[0125] The liquid cleaning agent concentrates according to the invention with the combinations of fatty alcohol alkoxylate, amino acid-based surfactant and hydrotrope (tests 1 and 2) achieve the best cleaning performances compared with the respective individual components and the various combinations of two constituents (comparative tests 3 to 5). A synergistic effect of the combination of fatty alcohol alkoxylate, amino acid-based surfactant and hydrotrope that is according to the invention is observed with regard to the removal of blood residues. The cleaning performance of the triple combination in the tests carried out is always better than that of the sum of the individual components.
[0126]
[0127] The results for preparations 1 to 5, listed in Table 1, are shown.
[0128] A further exemplary embodiment of a cleaning agent concentrate according to the invention that achieves approximately the same test results as the liquid cleaning agent concentrate from test example 1 consists of the following constituents:
TABLE-US-00003 0.5% by weight FA C12/C15 2EO/6PO 0.1% by weight 96% cocoyl/lauroyl glutamate 0.7% by weight 42% Na octyl sulfate 1% by weight endoprotease 14% by weight 99% monoethanolamine 6% by weight amino carboxylate 1% by weight 75% phosphoric acid to 100% by weight water
2. Cold Water Dispensing
[0129] In the prior art, the dispensing of surfactant-containing, enzymatic and mildly alkaline liquid cleaning agents for machine cleaning is usually done at a water temperature of about 40° C. This is necessary because the cleaning agents tend to foam excessively at lower temperatures. The disadvantage of dispensing at a temperature of about 40° C., however, is that the run time of the cleaning program is prolonged, since there is initially a certain time delay for heating up from the inlet temperature (usually ca. 18-22° C.) to a temperature of 40° C. before the cleaning agent can take effect.
[0130] The liquid cleaning agent concentrate and ready-to-use application solution according to the invention, in contrast, make it possible to carry out cold dispensing directly after the water inlet, preferably at a temperature of 38° C. or less, more preferably from 18 to 35° C., even more preferably from 20 to 30° C., still more preferably from 22 to 27° C., even further preferably at about 25° C., without the program being aborted due to excessive foam development. This is currently not possible with the cleaning agents known from the prior art.
[0131]
[0132] This was carried out analogously for several of the commercially available cleaning agents known from the prior art at the respective standard recommended concentration at 25° C. (including Dr. Weigert, neodisher MediClean forte, 6 ml/l, #681964; Ruhof, Endozyme AW plus, 3.5 ml/l; Dr. Schumacher, thermoshield Xtreme, 3 ml/l, #460764; Borer, deconex Twin pH10 Twin Zyme, 3 ml/l+1.5 ml/l, #0370073+#0.397577; Prolystica, Prolystica 2× concentrate alkaline cleaner, 3 ml/l, #290186). For these cleaning agents, program termination is observed, as shown in