AQUEOUS-MISCIBLE OR AQUEOUS-DISPERSIBLE, VOC-FREE BIOCIDAL COMPOSITIONS FOR THE ENHANCED INHIBITION OF GRAM-NEGATIVE BACTERIAL STRAINS, AND METHOD OF PREPARING THE SAME

1 . An aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible, volatile organic compounds (VOC)-free, heat and cold stable biocidal composition having pH of about 3.0 to about 8.5 capable of exhibiting substantially enhanced biocidal activity via enhanced inhibition of gram-negative bacterial strains comprising:

i. 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT);

ii. at least one cationic polymer and/or at least one cationic amine surfactant;

iii. optionally one or more sequestering agents;

iv. optionally one or more aromatic aldehydes; and

v. optionally, at least one additive.

2 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said cationic polymer is selected from the group consisting of homo or copolymers of polyamines, polyimines, polyalkyleneimines, polyethyleneimines, polypropyleneimines alone or in combination.

3 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said cationic amine surfactant is selected from the group consisting of alkanolamines, mono-alkyl alkanolamines, di-alkyl alkanolamines, tri-alkyl alkanolamines, primary amines, secondary amines, tertiary amines, quaternary amines and/or alkyl tertiary amines.

4 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said sequestering agent is selected from the group consisting of hydroxy-carboxylic acids, aminocarboxylic acids, phosphonic acids, crown ethers, amino acids, ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid, nitrosotrihydroxy-dipropylamine, nitriloacetate, acetyl salicylate and/or gluconic acid salts.

5 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said aromatic aldehyde is selected from the group consisting of aromatic aldehydes, benzaldehyde, salicylaldehyde, naphthaldehyde or their derivatives alone or in combination.

6 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said gram-negative bacterial strain is selected from the group comprising Escherichia species, Salmonella species, Shigella species, Enterobacteriaceae species, Pseudomonas species, Moraxella species, Helicobacter species, and/or Legionella species.

7 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein volatile organic compounds (VOC)-free solvent is selected from the group consisting of glycol, ethers of glycol, esters of glycol, ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, butylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, polyglycol, glycerol, ether or esters of glycerol, diglycerol, triglycerol, tetraglycerol, pentaglycerol, hexaglycerol, cyclic diol, non-cyclic diol, polyglycerol or their derivatives alone or in combination.

8 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein said additive is selected from the group consisting of wetting agents, suspending agents, thickening agents, emulsifying agent, dispersing agents, inert carriers, metal oxides, preservatives, pH modifiers, anionic surfactant alone or in combination.

9 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 8 , wherein said pH modifying agent is selected from the group consisting of alkali metal hydroxides, amines, inorganic acids, hydrochloric acid, acetic acid, salicylic acid, citric acid, sulfamic acid alone or in combination.

10 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 8 , wherein said anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of hydroxyalkanesulfonates, alkanesulfonates, dialkylsulfosuccinates, straight-chain alkylbenzenesulfonates, branched alkylbenzenesulfonates, alkylnaphthalenesulfonates, aliphatic monoglycerides, higher alkyl sulfates, alkyl aryl sulfonates, higher alkyl sulfoacetates alone or in combination.

11 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible composition according to claim 8 , wherein said inert carrier is selected from the group consisting of ground natural minerals, ground synthetic minerals, metal oxides and preferably selected from the group consisting of clays, talc, chalk, quartz, attapulgite, montmorillonite or diatomacious earth, perlite, zeolite, highly-disperse silica, alumina, titanium dioxide and silicates alone or in combination thereof.

12 . The dispersion composition according claim 8 , wherein said dispersing agent is selected from the group consisting of copolymers of 2-pyrrolidone and methoxy ethene sodium salt, EO/PO block copolymer, polymers of acrylic and methacrylic acids, C 11 -C 15 secondary ethoxylated alcohol, diols and/or polyether polyols.

13 . The dispersion composition according claim 8 , wherein said suspending or thickening agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrocolloid gums, cellulose derivatives polysaccharide derivatives, xanthan gum, guar gum, hydroxymethyl cellulose hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC), hydroxyproyl ethyl cellulose (HPEC) and/or hydrophobically modified starch to uniformly suspend the finely divided particles.

14 . The dispersion composition according claim 8 , wherein said wetting agent is selected from the group consisting of alkoxylated acetylenic diols and/or 2,4,7,9-tetramethyl-5-decyne-4,7-diol.

15 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is stable for at least two years at room temperature or stable for at least 5 freeze/thaw cycles wherein temperature cycled from 50° C. to −24° C. in every 24 hours or stable for at least 4 weeks at about 50° C.

16 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 formulated as an emulsion, suspension or concentrate.

17 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible biocidal composition according to claim 1 , further comprising one or more biocides selected from the group consisting of insecticides, acaricides, algicides, molluscicides, bactericides, herbicides, plant growth regulators and/or fungicides.

18 . A process for preparing an aqueous-miscible, volatile organic compounds (VOC)-free, heat and cold stable, biocidal composition comprising the steps of:

i. preparing an aqueous glycolic dispersion of 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT) with continuous stirring;

ii. neutralizing the resultant obtained in the step (i) with at least one appropriate pH adjusting agents until it yields clear solution; and

iii. adding (a) cationic polymer, (b) cationic surfactant, (c) other optional ingredients including sequestering agents and aromatic aldehydes and (d) optionally, at least one additive to the resulting neutralized solution of step (ii) with thorough mixing until it yields a clear transparent aqueous-miscible solution.

19 . A process for preparing an aqueous-dispersible, volatile organic compounds (VOC)-free, heat and cold stable, biocidal composition comprising the steps of:

i. preparing an aqueous medium comprising uniformly dispersed particles of mixture of wetting agent, inert carrier and dispersing agent by means of appropriate stirring techniques;

ii. adding 1,2-benzisothiazolin-3-one (BIT) and at least one cationic surfactant to the resultant aqueous uniform dispersion of step (i) and grinding the resulting mixture for at least 30 minutes employing zirconium beads as grinding media; and

iii. incorporating (a) cationic polymer, (b) optional ingredients including sequestering agents and aromatic aldehydes, and (c) optionally, at least one additive to the resultant uniform mixture of step (ii) and grinding the collective mixture employing zirconium beads as grinding media until the Hegmann number is 7.0.

20 . The aqueous-miscible or aqueous-dispersible, biocidal composition according to claim 1 employed in the field of paint, building materials, stucco, concrete, caulks, sealants, joint compounds, adhesives, leather, wood, inks, pigment dispersions, metal working fluids, drilling mud and/or clay slurries.