Disinfectant Composition Containing Low Levels of an Antimicrobial Agent
A disinfectant composition that may be a ready to use solution or a liquid concentrate. The disinfectant composition comprises an antimicrobial agent and a surfactant. The antimicrobial agent comprises a quaternary ammonium compound or a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds in low amounts. The surfactant comprises an ethoxylated secondary alcohol or a mixture of ethoxylated secondary alcohols.
1 . A disinfectant composition that may be a ready to use solution or a liquid concentrate comprising:
an antimicrobial agent comprising a quaternary ammonium compound or a mixture of quaternary ammonium compounds, the antimicrobial agent being present in the ready to use solution in an amount less than about 10,000 ppm;
a surfactant comprising an ethoxylated secondary alcohol or a mixture of ethoxylated secondary alcohols, the surfactant being present in the composition in relation to the antimicrobial agent at a weight ratio of from about 1:5 to about 5:1; and
wherein the surfactant is the only nonionic surfactant contained in the composition.
2 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the liquid concentrate is fifty times more concentrated than the ready to use solution and contains the antimicrobial agent in an amount less than about 125,000 ppm.
3 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the composition further includes a polypropylene glycol.
4 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is present in the ready to use solution in an amount of about 2,500 ppm and the surfactant is present in the composition in relation to the antimicrobial agent at a weight ratio of about 1:1.
5 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the composition does not contain any other antimicrobial agents.
6 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , further comprising a chelating agent, wherein the chelating agent comprises methylglycinediacetic acid.
7 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , further containing a pH adjusting agent, the pH adjusting agent comprising an acid, wherein the acid comprises hydrochloric acid, and wherein the pH is adjusted between about pH6 to about pH8.
8 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ethoxylated secondary alcohol contains a carbon chain having a carbon chain length of from about C 6 to about C 60 , and wherein the ethoxylated secondary alcohol contains from about 2 moles to about 16 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.
9 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 8 , wherein the secondary alcohol contained in the ethoxylated secondary alcohol is unbranched.
10 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is present in the composition in an amount from about 500 ppm to about 4,000 ppm, the surfactant being present in an amount from about 750 ppm to about 1,800 ppm, the disinfectant composition further containing a chelating agent in an amount from about 800 ppm to about 3,500 ppm and a pH adjusting agent comprising an acid present in the composition in an amount from about 50 ppm to about 500 ppm, the remainder of the disinfectant composition comprising water.
11 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the disinfectant composition demonstrates at least a 5 log reduction when tested against Staphylococcus aureus, Enterococcus hirae , or Pseudomonas aeruginosa according to Test EN 16615 for a contact time of 60 seconds, at least a 4 log reduction when tested against Candida albicans according to Test EN 16615 for a contact time of 60 seconds, or at least a 4 log reduction when tested against Vaccinia virus according to a modified Test EN 16615 for a contact time of 60 seconds.
12 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one quaternary ammonium compound comprises at least one dimethyl dialkyl ammonium chloride.
13 . A premoistened wiping product comprising:
a liquid absorbent substrate; and
a disinfectant composition contained within the substrate, the disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 .
14 . A premoistened wiping product as defined in claim 13 , wherein the liquid absorbent substrate comprises a nonwoven web, the nonwoven web comprising a meltblown web, a coform web, a spunbond web, an airlaid web, an airlaced web, a hydroentangled web, a bonded carded web, or a laminate thereof, and wherein the liquid absorbent substrate is optionally apertured.
15 . A method for destroying microorganisms on an adjacent surface comprising:
saturating a liquid absorbent substrate with a disinfectant composition, the disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 ; and
applying the saturated liquid absorbent substrate to a hard surface.
16 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial agent is present in the ready to use solution in an amount less than about 3,000 ppm.
17 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the surfactant is present in the composition in relation to the antimicrobial agent at a weight ratio of from about 0.75:1 to about 1:0.75.
18 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the liquid concentrate is five times more concentrated than the ready to use solution and contains the antimicrobial agent in an amount less than about 12,500 ppm.
19 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the ethoxylated secondary alcohol contains a carbon chain having a carbon chain length of from about C 10 to about C 32 and wherein the ethoxylated secondary alcohol contains from about 3 moles to about 12 moles of ethylene oxide per mole of alcohol.
20 . A disinfectant composition as defined in claim 1 , wherein the at least one quaternary ammonium compound comprises didecyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, octyl decyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, dioctyl dimethyl ammonium chloride, and mixtures thereof.