Embalming fluid

• US 20030206884A1
• Filed: 06/02/2003
• Published: 11/06/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: SafeEarth Limited
• Original Assignee: Aard Balm Limited
• Inventors: Barrow, Dermot Christopher John
• Granted Patent: US 8,015,677 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/75
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 1/00 Preservation of bodies of humans or animals, or parts thereof

Abstract

An embalming fluid is provided which comprises a pseudoplasticising vegetable based, water-soluble polymer and a non-toxic disinfectant and which is essentially free from aldehyde. The preferred disinfectant is an iodine-based disinfectant, polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine being particularly preferred.

Embalming methods are also disclosed, together with kits for use in preparing an embalming fluid in accordance with the invention.

Claims

1. A pseudoplastic embalming fluid essentially free of aldehyde, which fluid comprises:

(a) a water-soluble polymer able to and in amount sufficient to produce a pseudoplastic solution when dissolved in a predetermined amount of water;

(b) an effective amount of a non-toxic disinfectant, and

(c) potable water in said predetermined amount,

the fluid optionally containing additionally one or more additives selected from perfumes, colorants, sequestrants, anti-coagulants and humectants.

2. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 in which the water soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of seaweed based polymer compounds, cellulose based polymer compounds, plant based polymer compounds and plant bacteria based polymer compounds.

3. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 2 in which a said seaweed based polymer-compound is selected from the group consisting of alginate based and carrageenan based water soluble polymers.

4. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 2 in which a said cellulose based polymer compound is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose.

5. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 2,in which a said plant or plant bacteria based polymer compound is selected from the group consisting of guar gum, locust bean gum, acacia gum, gum tragacanth, karaya gum and- xanthan gum.

6. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 in which said water soluble polymer is present in an amount of 0.05-3% by weight of the composition.

7. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 6, in which said water soluble polymer is present in an amount 0.1-2% by weight of the composition.

8. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 in which said disinfectant is selected from the group consisting of iodine based compounds, hexachlorophene based compounds, cetrimide and triclosan.

10. An embalming fluid as-claimed in claim 1 in which said disinfectant is present in an amount of 0.05-2% by weight of the composition.

11. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 10, in which said disinfectant is present in an amount of 0.05-1.5% by weight of the composition.

12. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1, which contains a said colorant, the colorant being carmine-based.

13. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 12, in which the colorant is present in an amount of 0.01-0.1% by weight of the composition.

14. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1, in which a said sequestrant is present and is selected from the group consisting of acid salts and carbonate salts.

15. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 14, in which the phosphate salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium hexametaphosphate, trisodium phosphate, tetrasodium phosphate and disodium hydrogen orthophosphate.

16. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 14, in which the citrate salt is sodium citrate and the carbonate salt is sodium carbonate.

17. An embalming fluid as:

claimed in claim 14, in which the sequestrant is present in an amount of 0.1-1% by weight of the composition.

18. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 17, in which the sequestrant is present in an amount of 0.1-0.5% by weight of the composition.

19. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1, in which a said perfume is present and is selected from the group consisting of rose oil, sandalwood oil, geranium oil chrysanthemum oil and freesia oil.

20. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 19, in which the perfume is present in an amount of 0.001-1% by weight of the composition.

21. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 20 in which the perfume is present in an amount of 0.001-0.05% by weight of the composition.

22. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1, which a said anti-coagulant is present and is sodium citrate.

23. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 22 in which the anti-coagulant is present in an amount of 0.01-0.7% by weight of the composition.

24. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 23, in which the anti-coagulant is present in an amount of 0.01-0.03% by weight of the composition.

25. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 which additionally contains a said humectant selected from glycerol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol and sorbitol.

26. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 25 in which the humectant is present in an amount of 0.4% by weight of the composition.

27. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 which comprises 95.9% to 99.3% by weight potable water based on the weight of the embalming fluid.

28. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 1 in which the water is selected from the group consisting of tap water, demineralised water and deionised water.

55. A method of embalming a body comprising injecting into the body an aldehyde-free tissue preservative which comprises a fluid composition as claimed in claim 1.

9. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim B, in which said disinfectant is polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine.

29. A pseudoplastic embalming fluid essentially free of aldehyde, which fluid comprises:

(a) 0.05-3% by weight of a vegetable based water-soluble polymer producing a pseudoplastic solution when dissolved in water;

(b) 0.05-2% by weight of a non-toxic disinfectant, and

(c) potable water,

the fluid optionally containing additionally one or more additives selected from perfumes, colorants, sequestrants, anti-coagulants and humectants.

30. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29, in which the water soluble polymer is selected from the group consisting of seaweed based polymer compounds, cellulose based polymer compounds, plant based polymer compounds and plant bacteria based polymer compounds.

31. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 30 in which a said seaweed based compound is selected from the group consisting of alginate based and carrageenan based water soluble polymers.

32. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 30 in which a said cellulose compound is selected from the group consisting of methyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose, sodium carboxymethyl cellulose, hydroxyethyl cellulose, hydroxypropyl cellulose and microcrystalline cellulose.

33. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 30 in which a said plant or plant bacteria based compound is selected from the group consisting of guar gum, locust bean gum, acacia gum, gum tragacanth, karaya gum and xanthan gum.

34. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which said water soluble polymer is present in an amount 0.1-2% by weight of the composition.

35. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which the disinfectant is selected from the group consisting of iodine based compounds, hexachlorophene based compounds, cetrimide and triclosan.

36. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 35 in which the disinfectant is polyvinylpyrrolidone-iodine.

38. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 which contains a said colorant, the colorant being carmine-based.

39. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which the colorant is present in an amount of 0.01-0.1% by weight of the composition.

40. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which a said sequestrant is present and is selected from the group consisting of ethylene acid, phosphate salts, citric acid salts and carbonate salts.

41. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 40, in which the phosphate salt is selected from the group consisting of sodium hexametaphosphate, trisodium phosphate, tetraasodium phosphate and disodium hydrogen orthophosphate.

42. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 40 in which the citrate salt is sodium citrate and the carbonate salt is sodium carbonate.

43. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 40 in which the sequestrant is present in an amount of 0.1-1% by weight of the composition.

44. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 43 in which the sequestrant is present in an amount of 0.10.5% by weight of the composition.

45. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which a said perfume is present and is selected from the group consisting of rose oil, sandalwood oil, geranium oil chrysanthemum oil and freesia oil.

46. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 45, in which the perfume is present in an amount of 0.001-1% by weight of the composition.

47. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 46, in which the perfume is present in an amount of 0.001-0.05% by weight of the composition.

48. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 which an anti-coagulant is present and is sodium citrate.

49. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 48 in which the anti-coagulant is present in an amount of 0.01-07% by weight of the composition.

50. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 49, in which the anti-coagulant is present in an amount of 0.01-0.03% by weight of the composition.

51. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29, which additionally contains a humectant selected from glycerol, ethylene glycerol, propylene glycol and sorbitol.

52. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 51 in which the humectant is present in an amount of 0.4% by weight of the composition.

53. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 which comprises 95.9 to 99.3% by weight potable water based on the weight of the embalming fluid.

54. An embalming fluid as claimed in claim 29 in which the water is selected from the group consisting of tap water, demineralised water and deionised water.

56. A method of embalming a body comprising injecting into the body an aldehyde-free tissue preservative which comprises a fluid composition as claimed in claim 29.

37. An embalming fluid as claimed in any one of claims 37 in which the disinfectant is present in an amount of 0.05-1.5% by weight of the composition.