Chemical Combination for the Generation of Disinfectant and Heat

• US 20100086623A1
• Filed: 05/26/2009
• Published: 04/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/10/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Christopher Doona, Irwin A. Taub, Kenneth Kustin, Maria Curtin
• Original Assignee: Christopher Doona, Irwin A. Taub, Kenneth Kustin, Maria Curtin
• Inventors: Kustin, Kenneth, Doona, Christopher, Taub, Irwin A., Curtin, Maria
• Granted Patent: US 8,182,715 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 424/662
• 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

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. A chemical combination of constituents, for reacting to generate a biocidal intermediate, for use in disinfecting and sterilizing objects, said constituents comprising;

a liquid solvent comprising an aqueous solution 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 electron-transfer effector compound having a capacity to induce electron-transfer reaction chemistry between said chemical oxidant and said chemical reductant in order to cause said chemical oxidant to liberate a biocidal intermediate, said effector being a reducing sugar; and

a metallic reductant and an activator having the capacity to reduce said liquid solvent;

wherein upon said combination of the constituents, the effector initiates a reduction of the oxidant by a transfer of an electron from the oxidant to the effector for causing a release of heat, a decrease in solution pH, and a release of biocidal intermediate in heated gaseous and aqueous forms, said reaction between the effector and oxidant inducing chemical reaction between the oxidant and reductant for producing heat and increasing solution pH for generating heated biocidal intermediate at approximately neutral pH of about 5 to 8 for affecting said objects to expose any contaminating microorganisms to said intermediate and sterilizing said objects; and

wherein said electron-transfer reaction is exothermic and generates heat, said heat sufficient for converting said aqueous solution to steam for further sterilizing said objects.

15. The chemical combination according to claim 13 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.

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.

37. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said water solution is a salt-water solution.

38. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said constituents are varied in appropriate quantities and/or relative proportions.

39. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said combination occurs in an enclosed container for producing and maintaining in the container an environment of disinfecting biocide gas and/or solution and an atmosphere of steam or high relative humidity and temperature for a period of time sufficient to destroy any contaminating microorganisms and/or chemicals present.

40. The chemical combination according to claim 13 wherein said metallic reductant is configured in a form having a high surface area.

14. (canceled)

25-32. -32. (canceled)

36. (canceled)

41. A chemical combination of constituents, for generating a biocidal intermediate, for use in disinfecting and sterilizing objects, said constituents comprising;

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

a chemical oxidant, comprising chlorite, having the capacity to liberate a biocidal intermediate;

a chemical reductant, comprising sulfite, having the capacity to reduce said chemical oxidant;

an electron-transfer effector compound, said effector compound comprising a reducing sugar, having a capacity to induce an electron-transfer reaction between said chemical oxidant and said chemical reductant in order to cause said chemical oxidant to liberate a biocidal intermediate, said biocidal intermediate being chlorine dioxide; and

a metallic reductant and an activator, said metallic reductant being chosen from the group consisting of Li, Na, K, Be, Ca, Zn, their corresponding amalgams, and mixtures thereof, and the activator being chosen from the group consisting of V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, or any other transitional or more noble metal than magnesium and mixtures thereof, having the capacity to reduce said liquid solvent;

said oxidant, chemical reductant, effector, and metallic reductant are mixed for forming a mixture in a single reactor vessel, and said mixture is combined with said aqueous solution for forming said combination, and

wherein upon said combination of the constituents, the effector initiates a reduction of the oxidant by a transfer of an electron from the oxidant to the effector for causing a release of heat, a decrease in solution pH, and a release of biocidal intermediate in heated gaseous and aqueous forms, said reaction between the effector and the oxidant inducing chemical reaction between the oxidant and reductant for producing heat and increasing solution pH for generating heated biocidal intermediate at approximately neutral pH of about 5 to about 8 for affecting said objects to expose any contaminating microorganisms to said intermediate and sterilizing said objects; and

wherein said electron-transfer reaction is exothermic and generates heat, said heat sufficient for converting said aqueous solution to steam for further sterilizing said objects.