Chemical combination for generation of disinfectant and heat

• US 20060097222A1
• Filed: 11/10/2004
• Published: 05/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Inventors: Kustin, Kenneth, Doona, Christopher, Taub, Irwin A., Curtin, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,640 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 252/187.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/186 Peroxide solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/208 Hydrogen peroxide
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/16 Mobile applications, e.g. portable devices, trailers, devices mounted on vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/0042 Reducing agents
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/046 Salts
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/1206 free metals, e.g. aluminium grit or flakes
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/2086 Hydroxy carboxylic acids-salts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3947 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/3956 Liquid compositions
• CPC Class Codes: C11D 3/48 Medical, disinfecting agents, disinfecting, antibacterial, germicidal or antimicrobial compositions

Abstract

This invention comprises a lightweight, portable chemical combination of reagents for sterilizing or disinfecting objects in the absence of electrical power or fire. The chemical combination includes a chemical oxidant with the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate, a chemical reductant of the oxidant with the capacity to react with the oxidant, and an effector to induce a reaction between the oxidant and reductant. In one embodiment, the oxidant comprises chlorite, the reductant comprises sulfite, and the effector comprises ascorbate. In another embodiment, the chemical combination comprises the oxidant, reductant, effector and iron-activated magnesium. When water or water solutions are added to either embodiment, the chemical combination generates heat, steam and a biocidal intermediate that can destroy contaminating microorganisms. In one embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-based biocidal intermediate, such as chlorine dioxide. In another embodiment, the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-free biocidal intermediate.

Claims

1. A chemical combination for use in the sterilization and disinfection of objects, comprising;

a chemical oxidant having the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate;

a chemical reductant having the capacity to reduce said chemical oxidant; and

an effector having an electron-transferring capacity to induce reaction between said chemical oxidant and said chemical reductant to cause said chemical oxidant to liberate the biocidal intermediate.

2. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said effector comprises ascorbate.

3. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said effector is chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen ascorbate ion, ascorbic acid, and ascorbate dianion.

4. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said effector is an organic acid or its respective ions.

5. The chemical combination according to claim 4 wherein said effector is chosen from the group consisting of erythorbic acid and tartaric acid or their respective ions.

6. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said effector is a reducing sugar.

7. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said chemical oxidant is a halogen-based chemical oxidant.

8. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein said chemical oxidant is free of chlorine.

9. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein the chemical reductant is chosen from the group consisting of sodium sulfite, sodium dithionite, hypophosphorus acid, and iron(II).

10. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-based biocidal intermediate.

11. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein the biocidal intermediate comprises chlorine dioxide.

12. The chemical combination according to claim 1 wherein the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-free biocidal intermediate.

13. A chemical combination for use in disinfecting and sterilizing objects, comprising;

a liquid solvent such as water or water solutions having the capacity to function as a source of steam;

a chemical oxidant having the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate;

a chemical reductant having the capacity to reduce said chemical oxidant;

an effector having an electron-transferring capacity to induce reaction between said chemical oxidant and said second reductant in order to cause said chemical oxidant to liberate a biocidal intermediate; and

a metallic reductant having the capacity to reduce said liquid solvent.

14. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said metallic reductant comprises iron-activated magnesium.

15. The chemical combination according to claim 14 wherein said activator is chosen from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, or any other transitional or more noble metal than magnesium and mixtures thereof.

16. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said metallic reductant is chosen from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Ca, Zn, their corresponding amalgams, and mixtures thereof.

17. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said chemical oxidant is a halogen-based chemical oxidant.

18. The chemical combination according to claim 17 wherein said chemical oxidant comprises a chlorine-containing compound.

19. The chemical combination according to claim 18 wherein said chemical oxidant is chosen from the group consisting of sodium ion salt of chlorite and sodium ion salt of chlorate.

20. The chemical combination according to claim 18 wherein said chemical oxidant is chosen from the group consisting of the lithium ion salt of chlorite and the lithium ion salt of chlorate.

21. The chemical combination according to claim 18 wherein said chemical oxidant is chosen from the group consisting of the potassium ion salt of chlorite and the potassium ion salt of chlorate.

22. The chemical combination composition according to claim 18 wherein said chemical oxidant comprises a metal ion salt of a salt chosen from the group consisting of chlorite or chlorate.

23. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said chemical oxidant is free of chlorine.

24. The chemical combination according to claim 23 wherein said chemical oxidant is chosen from the group consisting of hypobromite, bromite and bromate.

25. The chemical combination according to claim 23 wherein said chemical oxidant is chosen from persulfate and hydrogen peroxide.

26. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said chemical oxidant is a halogen-free chemical oxidant.

27. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said effector comprises ascorbate.

28. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said effector is chosen from the group consisting of hydrogen ascorbate ion, ascorbic acid, and ascorbate dianion.

29. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said effector is an organic acid or its respective ions.

30. The chemical combination according to claim 29 wherein said effector is chosen from the group consisting of erythorbic acid and tartaric acid or their respective ions.

31. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein the effector is the ion of an organic acid.

32. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said effector is a reducing sugar.

33. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein the chemical reductant is chosen from the group consisting of sodium sulfite, sodium dithionite, hypophosphorus acid, and iron(II).

34. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-based biocidal intermediate.

35. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein the biocidal intermediate comprises chlorine dioxide.

36. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein the biocidal intermediate is a halogen-free biocidal intermediate.