Method of using alkyl monophosphoric acids as germicidal agents

Abstract

This invention is directed to germicidal compositions comprising a germicidally effective amount of at least one alkyl monophosphonic acid having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain in admixture with one or more surfactants in acidic solution and to the use of such compositions in disinfecting surfaces.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to novel germicidal agents. More particularly, this invention is directed to the use of certain alkyl monophosphonic acids as germicidal agents in acidic solutions.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Various substances are already known as disinfectants in acidic solutions, including, for example, quaternary ammonium compounds, halogen carboxylic acids, and iodine. Unfortunately, these known substances have disadvantages with regard to practical application. For example, quaternary ammonium compounds foam excessively. The foam has to be reduced by use of large quantities of antifoaming agents, which very often impairs the disinfecting effect. In addition, quaternary ammonium compounds cannot be mixed with anionic surfactants, which in turn have a very good degreasing effect.

In acidic cleaners, halogen carboxylic acids, such as, for example, iodoacetic, chloroacetic, or bromoacetic acid, lead to the precipitation of protein which is deposited as a coating on the surfaces to be cleaned or can block the spray nozzles in the cleaning system. Moreover, the halogen carboxylic acids mentioned are not safe to handle because they are highly corrosive. Their relatively high toxicity is another disadvantage so far as their use in ready-made cleaners is concerned.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the invention to provide novel germicidal agents.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a method of using alkyl monophosphonic acids as germicidal agents.

It is a further object of the invention to provide disinfecting agents which, in addition to a broad bacteriological spectrum, are capable of rapidly killing off bacteria when used in low concentrations in acidic cleaners.

These and other objects of the invention will become more apparent in the discussion below.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, alkyl monophosphonic acids having from 4 to 12, preferably from 8 to 10, carbon atoms in the alkyl chain, in admixture with surfactants, are useful as germicidal agents in acidic solutions. One or more of the alkyl monophosphonic acids are present in an acidic solution in an amount of from about 0.01 to 0.5 grams/liter, preferably from about 0.02 to 0.2 grams/liter, based upon the total volume of the solution, which corresponds to a concentration of from about 10 to 500 ppm, preferably from about 20 to 200 ppm.

The surfactants used may be anionic or, preferably, nonionic, and mixtures of different surfactants may also be used. However, it is best, particularly with regard to undesirable foaming, to use nonionic surfactants such as adducts of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide onto fatty alcohols, fatty amines, or fatty acids containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain or onto alkyl phenols containing from 6 to 15 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain. The mixing ratio in percents by weight of alkyl monophosphonic acids to surfactants may be in the range of from about 1:1 to 1:5, although a ratio of about 1:4 is preferred.

In addition to the surfactants, which inter alia also improve the solubility of the alkyl monophosphonic acids, it is possible to add other solubilizers, or solution promoters. Examples of such solubilizers include cumene sulfonate and monohydric or dihydric short-chain alcohols, such as ethanol, propanol, glycol, and butyl diglycol.

The concentration of acid in the acidic solutions used may be in the range of from about 0.1 to 2% by weight, preferably from about 0.5 to 0.6% by weight, based upon the total weight of acidic solution. Suitable acids include HCl, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HNO.sub.3, amidosulfonic acid, and, in particular, phosphoric acid.

Alkyl-1-phosphonic acids are preferred according to the invention, although octane-1-phosphonic acid and decane-1-phosphonic acid have proven to be the best disinfecting agents. They do not foam, are dermatologically and toxicologically safe, and have a distinct germicidal effect in acid solutions even at low temperatures.

Germicidal agents containing alkyl monophosphonic acids according to the invention can be effectively used to disinfect virtually any non-porous surface. Examples of such surfaces include metal and enamel surfaces and, preferably, glass or plastic surfaces.

The following examples are intended to illustrate the invention and should not be construed as limiting it thereto.

EXAMPLES

Example 1

The germicidal effect of octane-1-phosphonic acid in various concentrations in phosphoric acid solution was tested. The respective solutions are identified as Solutions A to E in the following table:

TABLE 1______________________________________ Solution:Components (% by weight): A B C D E______________________________________(a) octane-1-phosphonic acid 0.0 0.3 0.5 1.0 1.3(b) adduct of 8 mols of EO 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0onto nonyl phenol(c) adduct of 5 mols of EO and 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.04 mols of PO onto C.sub.12 -C.sub.14 -fatty alcohol(d) phosphoric acid, 100% 37.5 37.5 37.5 37.5 37.5(e) condensed water 56.5 56.2 56.0 55.5 55.2______________________________________ EO = ethylene oxide PO = propylene oxide

The suspension test developed by the "Deutschen Landwirtschafts-Gesellschaft e.V." (DLG) was used both in this and the following examples. The suspension test for disinfectants is carried out as follows: The agent is tested for its effectiveness against the bacterial strains indicated in Table 2 below. To this end, the agent to be tested is dissolved in standardized hard water [total hardness: 15.degree. dH (dh=deutsch Harte=German Hardness)]. To check bactericidal activity, quantities of 0.1 ml of the bacterial suspension are added to 10 ml of disinfectant solution, and the destruction time in minutes is determined at the test temperature of 20.degree. C.

The destruction times are shown in the following table:

TABLE 2______________________________________Destruction time (minutes) at 20.degree. C.(DLG suspension test); water hardness = 15.degree. dH Solution: A B C D E Concentration (% by wt.):Test Strain: 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1______________________________________Staphylo- 60 20 5 1 1 1 1 1 1 1coccus aureusStreptococcus 40 40 20 10 10 5 10 2.5 2.5 1faecalisPseudomonas 20 10 10 2.5 10 10 2.5 2.5 5 2.5fluorescensKlebsiella 10 10 5 5 2.5 2.5 5 5 5 5aerogenes______________________________________

Example 2

The increase in germicidal activity was tested in the same manner as in Example 1. The composition of the germicidal cleaning solutions was as follows:

TABLE 3______________________________________ Solution:Components (% by weight): F G______________________________________(a) phosphoric acid, 100% 45.0 45.0(b) adduct of 5 mols of EO 0.4 0.4onto oleyl alcohol(c) adduct of 9 mols of EO 3.5 3.5and 10 mols of PO ontononyl phenol(d) adduct of 12 mols of EO 1.0 1.0onto nonyl phenol(e) octane-1-phosphonic acid 0.0 1.3(e) condensed water 50.1 48.8______________________________________

The destruction times are shown in the following table:

TABLE 4______________________________________Destruction times (minutes) at 20.degree. C.(DLG suspension test); water hardness = 15.degree. dHSolution: F GConcentration (% by wt.): 0.5 1 0.5 1______________________________________Test strain:Staphylococcus aureus 60 60 2.5 1Streptococcus faecalis 40 40 5 1Pseudomonas fluorescens 20 1 5 1Klebsiella aerogenes 10 10 2.5 2.5______________________________________

Example 3

The germicidal activity of alkyl-1-phosphonic acids containing a C.sub.4 -C.sub.12 -alkyl radical was tested in cleaning solutions having the compositions shown in Table 5. The results, in destruction time, are set forth in Table 6 with regard to the alkyl monophosphonic acids contained in the solutions.

TABLE 5______________________________________ Formulation:Components Con-(% by weight): 1 2 3 4 5 trol______________________________________(a) butane-1-phosphonic 1.0 -- -- -- -- --acid(b) hexane-1-phosphonic -- 1.0 -- -- -- --acid(c) decane-1-phosphonic -- -- 1.0 -- -- --acid(d) dodecane-1-phosphonic -- -- -- 1.0 -- --acid(e) octane-1-phosphonic -- -- -- -- 1.0 --acid(f) no phosphonic acid -- -- -- -- -- 0added(g) adduct of 12 mols of 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0 4.0EO onto nonyl phenol(h) phosphoric acid, 100% 37.5 37.5 37.5 37.5 37.5 37.5(i) condensed water 57.5 57.5 57.5 57.5 57.5 58.5______________________________________ TABLE 6__________________________________________________________________________ Formulation: 1 2 3 4 5 Control Concentration of the solution (% by wt.):Test strain: 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1 0.5 1__________________________________________________________________________Staphylococcus aureus 40 5 40 5 1 1 10 10 2.5 2.5 20 20Streptococcus faecalis 20 10 20 10 1 1 20 10 5 2.5 20 20Pseudomonas fluorescens 2.5 1 2.5 2.5 1 1 5 2.5 5 2.5 10 2.5Klebsiella aerogenes 5 2.5 2.5 1 2.5 2.5 5 1 5 2.5 2.5 1__________________________________________________________________________

The preceding specific embodiments are illustrative of the practice of the invention. It is to be understood, however, that other expedients known to those skilled in the art or disclosed herein, may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method of disinfecting a surface which comprises applying thereto an effective amount of a germicidal composition which comprises a germicidally effective amount of at least one alkyl monophosphonic acid having from 4 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain in admixture with one or more anionic or nonionic surfactants in solution, which solution contains from about 0.1 to 2 percent by weight of an acid selected from the group consisting of HCl, H.sub.2 SO.sub.4, HNO.sub.3, amidosulfonic acid and phosphoric acid.

2. The method of disinfecting a surface according to claim 1, wherein the surfactants utilized are nonionic.

3. The method of disinfecting a surface according to claim 2, wherein the surfactants are selected from the group comprising adducts of ethylene oxide and/or propylene oxide onto fatty alcohols, fatty amines, or fatty acids containing from 12 to 18 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkyl monophosphonic acid has from 8 to 10 carbon atoms in the alkyl chain.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of alkyl monophosphonic acid to surfactant is from about 1:1 to 1:5.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of alkyl monophosphonic acid is from about 0.01 to 0.5 grams/liter.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the concentration is from about 0.02 to 0.2 grams/liter.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the alkyl monophosphonic acid is an alkyl-1-phosphonic acid or a mixture thereof.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the alkyl monophosphonic acid is octane-1-phosphonic acid, decane-1-phosphonic acid, or a mixture thereof.

10. The method of claim 1 which contains from about 0.5 to 0.6% by weight of said acid.