PRESERVATION SYSTEM FOR STABILIZING SPORE-FORMING MICROBIALS
Disclosed embodiments concern concentrated compositions comprising a microbial suspension and a preservative system, such as a paraben preservative, an isothiazolinone preservative, and a quaternary ammonium preservative. Microbes used to form the compositions generally are spore-forming microbes, such as bacteria or fungi, with representative embodiments concerning compositions comprising Bacillus . Concentrated compositions may be formulated by combining a Prep A composition comprising a microbial suspension with a Prep B composition comprising a preservative system. Preserved concentrated microbial compositions may be formulated at any of various concentrations relative to diluted, ready-to-use compositions, such as 40×, 50×, 80×, 100× and 250× compositions. Diluted microbial suspension compositions can be used as a cleaning product, an odor control aid, as a janitorial product, as an agricultural product, as a product to treat wastewater, as an environmental product, or as a processing aid.
1 . A concentrated microbial composition concentrated by greater than 5 times to at least 250 times a concentration intended for an end-use application, comprising:
a microbial suspension comprising one or more spore forming microbes; and
a preservative system comprising plural different preservatives.
2 . The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the microbe is a Bacillus selected from Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus inaquosorum, Bacillus mojavensis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus globigii, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus simplex, Bacillus licheniformis and/or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens.
3 . The composition according to claim 1 , comprising:
a concentrated bacterial suspension comprising bacterial cells or spores;
a solvent; and
plural preservatives.
4 . The composition according to claim 3 , further comprising at least one additional component selected from a buffering system, a non-ionic surfactant, Tween 80, odor mitigation components, deodorizers, fragrances, opacifiers, enzymes, such as a cellulase or lipase, proteins, gelling agents, additional preservatives, sanitizing agents, emulsifying agents, API's, oils such as triglycerides, antioxidants, oxidizers, petroleum products, biocides, solvents, and any and all combinations thereof.
5 . The composition according to claim 1 , comprising 10% to 60% by weight humectant solvent, where the humectant solvent is an alcohol, a diol, a triol, an alkylene glycol, glycerol or a combination thereof.
6 . The composition according to claim 1 , comprising a paraben preservative, an isothiazolinone preservative, a quaternary ammonium preservative, or a combination thereof.
7 . The composition according to claim 6 , wherein the quaternary ammonium preservative has a formula R 1 R 2 R 3 R 4 N + X − , where R 1 -R 4 are independently selected from H, C 1 -C 20 alkyl, and aryl.
8 . The composition according to claim 7 , wherein:
the quaternary ammonium preservative is selected from benzalkonium chloride, cetyl pyridinium chloride, octylphenoxyethoxyethyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride, and combinations thereof;
the paraben preservative is selected from methylparaben and propylparaben; and
the isothiazolinone preservative is selected from 1,2-benzoisothiazolin-3-one (BIT), methylisothiazolinone (MIT), methylchloroisothiazolinone (CMIT), or combinations thereof.
9 . The composition according to claim 6 , comprising benzalkonium chloride, 1,2-benzoisothiazolin-3-one, and propylparaben.
10 . The composition according to claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated using a Prep A composition comprising the microbial suspension and a Prep B composition comprising the preservative system.
11 . The composition according to claim 10 wherein the Prep B composition for a 250× formulation comprises:
28% to 29% Proxel GXL comprising 20% benzisothiazolinone;
14% to 15% Stepenquat 65 NF comprising 50% n-alkyldimethylbenzylammonium chloride; and
14% to 15% propylparaben.
12 . The composition according to claim 10 wherein the Prep B composition consists essentially of:
28% to 30% Proxel GXL;
14%-15% Stepenquat 65 NF;
14% to 15% propylparaben; and
42% to 43% propylene glycol.
13 . The composition according to claim 10 , wherein the microbial suspension comprises:
at least one Bacillus species;
a buffer system;
a non-aqueous solvent; and
water.
14 . The composition according to claim 1 , comprising a substantially decreased bacterial, fungal or yeast contamination relative to a similarly formulated microbial suspension that does not include the preservative system.
15 . A ready-to-use composition according to claim 1 , comprising:
5 to 7×10 7 CFU/mL bacterial cells and/or spores;
0.1% to 0.5% propylene glycol;
0.02% propylparaben;
0.04% benzoisothiazolone;
0.02% n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride;
0.010% dipotassium phosphate;
0.006% monopotassium phosphate;
optionally 0.0004% Tween 80; and
water to desired volume.
16 . A 100× concentrate composition according to claim 1 , comprising:
5 to 7×10 9 CFU/mL bacterial Cells and/or spores;
36% propylene glycol;
2% propylparaben;
4% benzoisothiazolone;
2% n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride;
1% dipotassium phosphate;
0.6% monopotassium phosphate;
optionally 0.1% Tween 80; and
water to volume.
17 . A 250× concentrate composition according to claim 1 , comprising:
1 to 2×10 10 CFU/mL bacterial Cells and/or spores;
41% propylene glycol:
5% propylparaben;
2% benzoisothiazolone;
2.5% n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride;
2.5% dipotassium phosphate;
1.5% monopotassium phosphate;
optionally 0.1% Tween 80; and
water to volume.
18 . A preservative system, comprising:
an isothiazolinone preservative;
an ammonium halide preservative;
a paraben preservative; and
an alkylene glycol.
19 . The preservative system according to claim 18 , comprising:
28%-29% of a 15%-20% aqueous dipropylene glycol solution comprising 1,2-benzoisothiazolin-3-one;
5%-7% of a 4%-5% ethyl alcohol composition comprising 47%-53% C 8-18 n-alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride;
5%-7% propylparaben; and
42%-45% propylene glycol.
20 . A combination, comprising:
a microbial suspension comprising a phosphate salt or combination of phosphate salts, an alkylene glycol, and water, wherein the microbial suspension comprises a Bacillus selected from Bacillus coagulans, Bacillus pumilus, Bacillus thuringiensis, Bacillus inaquosorum, Bacillus mojavensis, Bacillus megaterium, Bacillus globigii, Bacillus subtilis, Bacillus simplex, Bacillus licheniformis and/or Bacillus amyloliquefaciens ; and
a preservative system comprising (i) a humectant solvent selected from an alcohol, a polyol, an alkylene glycol, glycerol, or a combination thereof, and (ii) plural preservatives selected from a paraben preservative, an isothiazolinone preservative, a quaternary ammonium preservative, and combinations thereof.
21 . A method, comprising:
providing or obtaining a concentrated, stabilized and preserved microbial suspension composition according to claim 1 ;
diluting the concentrated, stabilized and preserved microbial suspension composition with water, an alkylene glycol or a combination thereof to form a diluted microbial suspension composition; and
using the diluted microbial suspension composition.
22 . The method according to claim 21 comprising using the diluted microbial suspension composition as a cleaning product, as an odor control aid, to drain lines, as a janitorial product, as an agricultural product, as a product to treat wastewater, as an environmental product, or as a processing aid.
23 . A method for making a concentrated, stabilized and preserved microbial suspension composition, comprising combining a microbial suspension with a Prep B preservative system.