Efficient stabilizer in controlling self accelerated decomposition temperature of peroxycarboxylic acid compositions with mineral acids

1. A stabilized equilibrium peracid composition comprising:

a C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid;

a C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid;

hydrogen peroxide;

sulfuric acid from about 10 wt % to about 50 wt %;

a peroxycarboxylic acid stabilizing agent, wherein the stabilizing agent is 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid, or a salt thereof;

at least one additional agent selected from the group consisting of anionic surfactant, a hydrotrope, a defoaming agent, a solvent, a fluorescent active agent and combinations thereof; and

wherein said composition has a use solution pH below about 4, and wherein the stabilizing agent delays or prevents the peroxycarboxylic acid from exceeding its self-accelerating decomposition temperature (SADT).

2. The composition of claim 1 , comprising C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid from about 1 wt-% to about 40 wt-%, C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid from about 1 wt-% to about 80 wt-%, hydrogen peroxide from about 1 wt-% to about 80 wt-%, and stabilizing agent from about 0.01 wt.-% to about 10 wt-%.

3. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid is a C 2 -C 20 peroxycarboxylic acid.

4. The composition of claim 3 , wherein the peroxycarboxylic acid is peroxyacetic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid and/or peroxysulfonated oleic acid.

5. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid is a C 2 -C 20 carboxylic acid.

6. The composition of claim 4 , wherein the carboxylic acid is acetic acid, octanoic acid, sulfonated oleic acid or a combinations of the same.

7. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the stabilizing agent is 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid.

8. The composition of claim 7 , further comprising an additional stabilizing agent having the following Formula (IA):

wherein R 1 is OH or —NR 1a R 1b , wherein R 1a and R 1b are independently hydrogen or (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl; wherein R 2 is OH or —NR 2a R 2b , wherein R 2a and R 2b are independently hydrogen or (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl; wherein each R 3 is independently (C 1 -C 6 ), (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl or (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl; and n is a number from zero to 3; or a salt thereof; or a compound having the following Formula (IB);

wherein R 1 is OH or —NR 1a R 1b , wherein R 1a and R 1b are independently hydrogen or (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl; wherein R 2 is OH or —NR 2a R 2b , wherein R 2a and R 2b are independently hydrogen or (C 1 -C 6 )alkyl; wherein each R 3 is independently (C 1 -C 6 alkyl, (C 2 -C 6 )alkenyl or (C 2 -C 6 )alkynyl; and n is a number from zero to 3; or a salt thereof.

9. The composition of claim 1 , wherein the additional agent is a hydrotrope that aids solubilization of the stabilizing agent.

10. The composition of claim 1 , wherein at least about 80% of the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid activity is retained after storage of at least 30 days at about 50° C.

11. A method for storing and/or transporting a stabilized equilibrium peroxycarboxylic acid composition comprising:

storing the peroxycarboxylic acid composition of claim 1 , wherein said composition retains at least about 80% of the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid activity after storage of about 30 days at about 50° C.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the SADT of said composition is elevated to at least 45° C. during transportation.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the composition comprises C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid from about 1 wt-% to about 40 wt-%, C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid from about 1 wt-% to about 80 wt-%, hydrogen peroxide from about 1 wt-% to about 80 wt-%, and stabilizing agent from about 0.01 wt.-% to about 10 wt-%.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid in the composition is a C 2 -C 20 peroxycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of peroxyacetic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid peroxysulfonated oleic acid and combinations thereof, and wherein the C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid in the composition is a C 2 -C 20 carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, octanoic acid, sulfonated oleic acid and combinations thereof.

15. A method for reducing a microbial population using a stabilized equilibrium peroxycarboxylic acid composition comprising:

providing the peroxycarboxylic acid composition of claim 1 ; and

contacting a surface or substrate with a use solution of said composition for sufficient time to reduce a microbial population, wherein said use solution has a pH below about 4, and Wherein said composition retains at least about 80% of the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid activity after storage of about 30 days at about 50° C.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the C 1 -C 22 peroxycarboxylic acid in the composition is a C 2 -C 20 peroxycarboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of peroxyacetic acid, peroxyoctanoic acid peroxysulfonated oleic acid and combinations thereof, wherein the C 1 -C 22 carboxylic acid in the composition is a C 2 -C 20 carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic acid, octanoic acid, sulfonated oleic acid and combinations thereof, and wherein the stabilizing agent in the composition is 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the surface or substrate is a food item, plant item, animal item, a container, an equipment, a system or a facility for growing, holding, processing, packaging, storing, transporting, preparing, cooking or serving the food item, plant item or the animal item, an instrument, a hard surface, a liquid media, equipment, a fabric surface, a fouled water or industrial processing liquid source, liquid system, or process water used in oil, gas and/or industrial processing operations.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein the contacting step lasts for at least 10 seconds.

19. The method of any claim 15 , wherein the microbial population in and/or on the surface or substrate is reduced by at least two log 10 .