Acidic biofilm remediation
Methods and compositions for biofilm remediation are disclosed. Biofilm is reduced and removed from soiled surfaces by providing to a surface in need an effective amount of a composition comprising a biocidal surfactant and at least one organic solvent. According to the invention, the biofilm remediation compositions reduce and remove biofilm formation by administering a one-step cleaner and disinfectant. The biofilm remediation compositions are stable and effective in concentrated and diluted ready-to-use formulations comprising an anionic sulfated or sulfonated surfactant that is not an organocarboxylic acid, a sparingly soluble organic solvent and optionally a soluble organic solvent.
1. A method of biofilm remediation from a surface comprising:
contacting a biofilm on the surface with a biocidal composition comprising
from about 1 to about 30 wt-% of an anionic surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant excludes short chain (C1-C5) organocarboxylic acid and is a sulfonated acid;
from about 5 to about 25 wt-% of a soluble organic solvent; and
from about 10 to about 40 wt-% of a sparingly soluble organic solvent;
wherein the ratio of said soluble organic solvent to said sparingly soluble organic solvent is between about 10:1 and about 1:10 by weight percent;
wherein said sparingly soluble organic solvent is soluble in the soluble organic solvent to an extent of less than about 20 wt-%;
wherein the biocidal composition has a pH of less than about 3.5;
wherein the biofilm comprises an extracellular matrix comprising polysaccharides and microbes.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of (C 8 -C 22 ) alkylsulfonate, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, diphenylated sulfonates, sulfonated oleic acid, and mixtures thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein said sparingly soluble organic solvent is a glycol ether selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-propyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol t-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether and tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether and mixtures thereof.
4. The method of claim 3 , wherein the sparingly soluble and soluble organic solvents are a mixture of dipropylene glycol methyl ether and propylene glycol phenyl ether.
5. The method of claim 4 wherein the biocidal composition comprises between about 0.8 and 60 wt-% of dipropylene glycol methyl ether and between about 0.8 and 60 wt-% of propylene glycol phenyl ether.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the biocidal composition further comprises between about 0.01 and about 35 wt. % of an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent comprises hydrogen peroxide having an active concentration of 50% or greater; and wherein said anionic surfactant is from about 5 to about 25 wt-%.
7. The method of claim 6 , wherein hydrogen peroxide has an active concentration of 70% or greater; and wherein the composition does not include a peroxycarboxylic acid or a halogen.
8. The method of claim 1 further comprising diluting the biocidal composition with water at a dilution ratio between about 5 parts water per 1 part biocidal composition and about 128 parts water per 1 part biocidal composition.
9. The method of claim 8 wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of (C 8 -C 22 ) alkylsulfonate, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, diphenylated sulfonates, sulfonated oleic acid, and mixtures thereof and wherein the sparingly soluble and soluble organic solvents are selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-propyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol t-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether and tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether and mixtures thereof.
10. The method of claim 9 wherein soluble organic solvent and the sparingly soluble organic solvents are dipropylene glycol methyl ether and propylene glycol phenyl ether.
11. The method of claim 1 further comprising diluting the biocidal composition with water at a dilution ratio between about 16 parts water per 1 part biocidal composition and about 64 parts water per 1 part biocidal composition.
12. The method of claim 1 wherein the surface is a wall, a floor, a sink, a countertop, a drain, a drain line, a pipe, a tube, a valve, or a combination thereof.
13. The method of claim 1 , wherein the microbes comprise one or more of a Pseudomonas , an Escherichia , a Staphylococcus , and/or a Listeria.
14. The method of claim 13 , wherein the biocidal composition provides a 4-log order reduction of microbes on the biofilm-soiled surface.
15. A method of biofilm remediation from a surface comprising:
contacting a biofilm on the surface with a biocidal composition comprising
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt-% of an anionic surfactant, wherein the anionic surfactant is not a short chain (C1-5) organocarboxylic acid and is a sulfonated acid;
from about 0.1 to about 2 wt-% of a soluble organic solvent in dilution; and
from about 0.5 to about 5 wt-% of a sparingly soluble organic solvent in dilution;
wherein the ratio of said soluble organic solvent to said sparingly soluble organic solvent is between about 10:1 and about 1:10 by weight percent;
wherein said sparingly soluble organic solvent is soluble in the soluble organic solvent to an extent of about 15 wt-% or less; and
wherein the biocidal composition has a pH of less than about 3;
wherein the biofilm comprises an extracellular matrix comprising polysaccharides and microbes,
wherein the microbes comprise one or more of a Pseudomonas , an Escherichia , a Staphylococcus , and/or a Listeria;
wherein the biocidal composition provides a 3-log order reduction of microbes on the biofilm-soiled surface.
16. The method of claim 15 wherein the anionic surfactant is selected from the group consisting of (C 8 -C 22 ) alkylsulfonate, linear alkyl benzene sulfonic acid, diphenylated sulfonates, sulfonated oleic acid, and mixtures thereof.
17. The method of claim 16 wherein the sparingly soluble organic solvent is selected from the group consisting of benzyl alcohol, diethylene glycol n-butyl ether, diethylene glycol n-propyl ether, diethylene glycol ethyl ether, diethylene glycol methyl ether, diethylene glycol t-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol n-butyl ether, dipropylene glycol methyl ether, dipropylene glycol ethyl ether, dipropylene glycol propyl ether, dipropylene glycol tert-butyl ether, ethylene glycol butyl ether, ethylene glycol propyl ether, ethylene glycol ethyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether, ethylene glycol methyl ether acetate, propylene glycol n-butyl ether, propylene glycol ethyl ether, propylene glycol methyl ether, propylene glycol n-propyl ether, tripropylene glycol methyl ether and tripropylene glycol n-butyl ether, ethylene glycol phenyl ether, propylene glycol phenyl ether and mixtures thereof.
18. The method of claim 17 wherein the sparingly soluble and soluble organic solvents are dipropylene glycol methyl ether and propylene glycol phenyl ether.
19. The method of claim 17 , wherein the biocidal composition further comprises between about 0.01 and about 35 wt. % of an oxidizing agent, wherein the oxidizing agent comprises hydrogen peroxide having an active concentration of 70% or greater, and wherein the composition does not contain a peroxycarboxylic acid or a halogen.
20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the biocidal composition provides a 4-log order reduction of microbes on the biofilm-soiled surface, and wherein the microbes comprise one or more of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa , a Staphylococcus epidermidis , a Staphylococcus aureus , a Listeria monocytogenes , and/or an Escherichia coli.