STERILIZATION COMPOSITION

• US 20110217204A1
• Filed: 03/05/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/05/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Original Assignee: American Sterilizer Company (Steris Corporation)
• Inventors: Hall, Dana, Rosenhamer, Donald G., Franciskovich, Phillip P., Fix, Kathleen A.
• Application Number:
  US12/718,078
• Publication Number:
  US 20110217204A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/29
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 2300/00 Combinations or mixtures of active ingredients covered by classes A01N27/00 - A01N65/48 with other active or formulation relevant ingredients, e.g. specific carrier materials or surfactants, covered by classes A01N25/00 - A01N65/48
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 25/22 containing ingredients stabilising the active ingredients
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/02 Saturated carboxylic acids or thio analogues thereof; Derivatives thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/16 containing the group; Thio analogues thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 37/44 containing at least one carboxylic group or a thio analogue, or a derivative thereof, and a nitrogen atom attached to the same carbon skeleton by a single or double bond, this nitrogen atom not being a member of a derivative or of a thio analogue of a carboxylic group, e.g. amino-carboxylic acids
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/02 Sulfur; Selenium; Tellurium; Compounds thereof
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/10 Ultraviolet radiation
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2/186 Peroxide solutions
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/182 Rigid packaging means
• CPC Class Codes: A61L 2202/24 Medical instruments, e.g. endoscopes, catheters, sharps

Abstract

A composition is disclosed which comprises (A) an anti-microbial agent comprising peracetic acid; and (B) a reagent mixture comprising a buffer, an anticorrosive agent and a chelator. The composition may be characterized by the absence of molybdate. The foregoing composition may be dispersed in water to form a liquid sterilant. The liquid sterilant may be used for sterilizing articles such as medical, dental, pharmaceutical, veterinary or mortuary instruments, devices, and the like.

Claims

1. A composition, comprising:

(A) an anti-microbial agent comprising peracetic acid; and

(B) a reagent mixture comprising a buffer, an anticorrosive agent and a chelator;

the composition being characterized by the absence of molybdate.

2. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition further comprises water.

3. The composition of claim 2 wherein the water comprises deionized water.

4. The composition of claim 2 wherein the water comprises tap water.

5. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (A) further comprises acetic acid.

6. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (A) further comprises hydrogen peroxide and sulfuric acid.

7. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (A) comprises from about 5% to about 60% by weight, or about 15% to about 45% by weight, or about 35.5% by weight, of peracetic acid.

8. The composition of claim 1 wherein the buffer comprises an alkali metal phosphate, an alkali metal carbonate, or a mixture thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (B) comprises from about 35% to about 98% by weight, or from about 45% to about 95% by weight, or from about 55% to about 90% by weight, of the buffer.

10. The composition of claim 1 wherein the anticorrosive agent comprises benzotriazole, tolyltriazole, a sodium salt of benzotriazole, a sodium salt of tolyltriazole, or a mixture of two or more thereof.

11. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (B) comprises from about 0.5% to about 35% by weight, or from about 1% to about 25% by weight, or from about 2% to about 14% by weight, of the anticorrosive agent.

12. The composition of claim 1 wherein the chelator comprises ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid, a sodium salt of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid, a sodium salt of hydroxyethylidenediphosphonic acid, or a mixture of two or more thereof.

13. The composition of claim 1 wherein component (B) comprises from about 0.1 to about 70% by weight, or from about 0.3 to about 60% by weight, or from about 0.5 to about 55% by weight, of the chelator.

14. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is characterized by the absence of nonylphenol ethoxylate.

15. The composition of claim 1 wherein the composition is characterized by the absence of an antifoaming agent.

16. The composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of (A) to (B) is at least about 0.1, or from about 0.1 to about 1.3, or from about 0.1 to about 1.1, or from about 0.15 to about 0.9, or from about 0.15 to about 0.75, or from about 0.2 to about 0.7, or from about 0.45 to about 1.3, or from about 0.5 to about 1.3, or from about 0.6 to about 1.3.

17. The composition of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of peracetic acid to buffer is about 0.1 or higher, or from about 0.1 to about 3, or from about 0.3 to about 3, or from about 0.35 to about 1.5.

18. The composition of claim 1 wherein components (A) and (B) are dispersed in water to form a liquid sterilant, the concentration of component (A) in the water being in the range from about 0.5 to about 10 grams per liter, and the concentration of component (B) in the water being in the range from about 3.6 to about 18 grams per liter.

19. The composition of claim 1 wherein components (A) and (B) are dispersed in water to form a liquid sterilant, the liquid sterilant having a pH in the range from about 2 to about 11, or from about 5.5 to about 7.

20. A process for sterilizing an article comprising contacting the article with a liquid sterilant comprising the composition of claim 1.

21. The process of claim 20 wherein the article is made of a material comprising brass, copper, aluminum, stainless steel, carbon steel, plastic, glass, adhesive or a combination of two or more thereof.

22. The process of claim 20 wherein the article comprises a medical, dental, pharmaceutical, veterinary or mortuary instrument or device.

23. The process of claim 20 wherein the pH of the liquid sterilant is in the range from about 2 to about 11, or from about 5.5 to about 7.

24. The process of claim 20 wherein the temperature of the liquid sterilant is in the range from about 20 to about 80°

C., or from about 40°

C. to about 60°

C.

25. The process of claim 20 wherein the exposure time of the article to the liquid sterilant is in the range from about 0.5 to about 240 minutes, or from about 2 to about 60 minutes.

26. The process of claim 20 wherein the process is conducted in a sterilizing apparatus, the sterilizing apparatus comprising a sterilization chamber and a sterilant introduction system, the process comprising:

placing the article in the sterilization chamber;

filling the sterilization chamber with water;

flowing water through the sterilant introduction system in contact with components (A) and (B) to form the liquid sterilant;

flowing the liquid sterilant in the sterilization chamber in contact with the article for an effective period of time to sterilize the article;

draining the liquid sterilant from the sterilization chamber;

flowing rinse water in the sterilization chamber in contact with the article; and

removing the article from the sterilization chamber.

27. The process of claim 20 wherein the process is conducted in a sterilization container, the process comprising:

placing the article in the sterilization container;

filling the sterilization container with water;

mixing components (A) and (B) with the water to form the liquid sterilant;

maintaining the liquid sterilant in the sterilization container in contact with the article for an effective period of time to sterilize the article;

removing the liquid sterilant from the sterilization container;

rinsing the article in the sterilization container with water; and

removing the article from the sterilization container.