CATIONIC ANTIMICROBIAL HANDWASH
An antimicrobial composition is provided that includes from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % of a cationic antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of lauric arginate and benzalkonium chloride, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; from about 1 to about 10 wt. % of two or more nonionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of glucoside alkyl ethers and poloxamers, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition; from about 0.1 to about 5 wt. % of an amine oxide, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; and one or more preservatives selected from phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, and mixtures thereof.
1 . An antimicrobial handwash composition comprising:
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % of a cationic antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of lauric arginate and benzalkonium chloride, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition;
from about 1 to about 10 wt. % of two or more nonionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of glucoside alkyl ethers and poloxamers, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition;
from about 0.1 to about 5 wt. % of an amine oxide, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; and
one or more preservatives selected from phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, and mixtures thereof.
2 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein one of the nonionic surfactants is selective from the group consisting decyl glucoside, lauryl glucoside, and ceteryl glucoside, and another of the nonionic surfactants is selected from the group consisting of lauramine oxide, lauramidopropyl amine oxide, cocamido propylamine oxide, triblock copolymers of polyethylene glycol and polypropylene glycol, and mixtures thereof.
3 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of the surfactant in the antimicrobial composition is below the critical micelle concentration at standard temperature and pressure.
4 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the total amount of nonionic surfactant present in the composition is from about 1 to about 10 wt. %, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
5 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the foam booster is an amphoteric surfactant.
6 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition further comprises an amphoteric surfactant selected from the group consisting of sultaines, betaines, amine oxide, and mixtures thereof.
7 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the amphoteric surfactant is selected from the group consisting of cocamidopropyl hydroxysultaine, cocamidopropyl betaine, lauramidopropyl betaine, cetyl betaine, oleamidopropyl betaine, ricinoleamidopropyl betaine.
8 . The composition of claim 6 , wherein the amount of amphoteric surfactant is from about 1 to about 5 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
9 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the cationic antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, lauric arginate, and mixtures thereof.
10 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the amount of cationic antimicrobial agent is from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
11 . The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % of lauric arginate, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
12 . The composition of claim 9 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.1 to about 0.2 wt. % of benzalkonium chloride, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
13 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of total surfactant, relative to the amount of antimicrobial agent, is from about 5:1 to about 15:1.
14 . The composition claim 12 , wherein the molar ratio of total surfactant, relative to the amount of benzalkonium chloride, is from about 15:1 to about 60:1.
15 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the molar ratio of nonionic surfactant, relative to the amount of antimicrobial agent, is from about 5:1 to about 15:1.
16 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of parabens, phenols, quaternary compounds, C 1-6 alcohols such as ethanol, isothiazolones, alkane diols, and alkylene diols.
17 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the preservative is selected from the group consisting of phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, or mixtures thereof.
18 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises from about 0.01 to about 1.5 wt. % of preservatives, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
19 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the preservative includes DMDM hydantoin.
20 . The composition of claim 19 , wherein the amount of DMDM hydantoin is from about 0.3 to about 0.5 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition.
21 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the preservative comprises a blend of caprylyl glycol, phenoxyethanol, and hexylene glycol.
22 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial composition further comprises from about 1 to about 5 wt. % of a poloxamer, based on the total weight of the antimicrobial composition, the poloxamer characterized by a molecular mass of about 3600 g/mol, and a percentage of polyoxyethylene content of about 40%.
23 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the pH of the composition is from about 5.5 to about 6.5.
24 . An antimicrobial handwash composition comprising:
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition of lauric arginate;
from about 1 to about 10 wt. %, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition of decyl glucoside, poloxamer, or a mixture thereof;
from about 1 to about 5 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition of lauramine oxide; and
one or more preservatives selected from phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, and mixtures thereof.
25 . An antimicrobial handwash composition comprising:
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition of benzalkonium chloride;
from about 1 to about 10 wt. %, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition of decyl glucoside, poloxamer, or a mixture thereof;
from about 1 to about 5 wt. %, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition of lauramine oxide; and
one or more preservatives selected from phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, and mixtures thereof.
26 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition qualifies as a healthcare personnel hand wash when tested according to the standards of the FDA Tentative Final Monograph for Healthcare Antiseptic Drug Products (TFM) (Federal Register 59 [116], Jun. 17, 1994: pp. 31402-31452).
27 . The composition of claim 1 , wherein the composition qualifies as a hygienic hand wash when tested according to standard test method EN 14348:2005.
28 . A method for inactivating microbes on a surface, the method comprising the steps of:
applying, to a surface, an effective amount of an antimicrobial composition comprising:
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt. % of a cationic antimicrobial agent selected from the group consisting of lauric arginate and benzalkonium chloride, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition;
from about 1 to about 10 wt. % of two or more nonionic surfactants selected from the group consisting of glucoside alkyl ethers and poloxamers, based upon a total weight of the antimicrobial composition;
from about 0.1 to about 5 wt. % of an amine oxide, based upon the total weight of the antimicrobial composition; and
one or more preservatives selected from phenoxyethanol, ethylhexyl glycerin, hexylene glycol, caprylyl glycol, and mixtures thereof.
29 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising the step of rinsing the surface with water.