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EP-4736644-A1 - BIOFILM REMOVER COMPOSITION

EP4736644A1EP 4736644 A1EP4736644 A1EP 4736644A1EP-4736644-A1

Abstract

Provided are a biofilm removing agent composition and a method for removing a biofilm using the same excellent in the removability of a biofilm adhering to an object article, especially a textile product. A biofilm removing agent composition containing the following components (a) and (b), component (a): one or more compounds selected from (a1) a quaternary ammonium salt having a long-chain alkyl group represented by the general formula (a1), and (a2) a bispyridinium compound, and component (b): an anionic surfactant.

Inventors

  • SAEKI Shiho
  • KIJITORI HIROKI
  • KOTERA TAKANORI

Assignees

  • Kao Corporation

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240326

Claims (16)

  1. A biofilm removing agent composition comprising the following components (a) and (b), component (a): one or more compounds selected from (a1) a compound represented by the following general formula (a1) (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) a bispyridinium compound (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)), wherein in the general formula (a1), R 1a and R 2a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 6 or more and 12 or less carbons, R 3a and R 4a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 or more and 3 or less carbons, and X - is an anion, and component (b): an anionic surfactant.
  2. The biofilm removing agent composition according to claim 1, wherein the component (b) is an anionic surfactant including one or more compounds selected from (b1) a compound represented by the following general formula (b1) (hereinafter referred to as component (b1)), (b2) a compound represented by the following general formula (b2) (hereinafter referred to as component (b2)), and (b3) an internal olefin sulfonate with 14 or more and 20 or less carbons (hereinafter referred to as component (b3)), R 16 -O-[(PO) p /(EO) q ]-SO 3 M (b1) wherein in the general formula (b1), R 1b is a hydrocarbon group with 8 or more and 22 or less carbons, PO is a propyleneoxy group, EO is an ethyleneoxy group, "/" is a symbol indicating that the order in which PO and EO are bonded is unrestricted, p is an average number of added moles of PO and is a number of 0 or more and 10 or less, q is an average number of added moles of EO and is a number of 0 or more and 25 or less, and M is a hydrogen ion, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion (1/2 atom), an ammonium ion, or an organic ammonium ion, and R 2b -B-SO 3 M (b2) wherein in the general formula (b2), R 2b represents an alkyl group with 3 or more and 21 or less carbons, B represents a benzene ring, M is a hydrogen ion, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion (1/2 atom), an ammonium ion, or an organic ammonium ion, and the sulfonic acid group is bonded at the ortho position, meta position, or para position relative to R 2b bonded to B.
  3. The biofilm removing agent composition according to claim 2, wherein the component (b) is an anionic surfactant including one or more compounds selected from the component (b1) of the general formula (b1), in which p is 0.1 or more and 10 or less and q is 0 or more and 25 or less, the component (b2) of the general formula (b2), in which R 2b has 8 or more and 18 or less carbons, and the alkyl group with 8 or more and 18 or less carbons internal olefin sulfonate of the component (b3), which has 16 or more and 18 or less carbons.
  4. The biofilm removing agent composition according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a content of the components (b1), (b2), and (b3) in the component (b) is 70 mass% or more and 100 mass% or less.
  5. The biofilm removing agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the component (a2) is octenidine dihydrochloride.
  6. The biofilm removing agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a mass ratio of a content of the component (a) to a content of the component (b), (a)/(b), is 0.001 or more and 7 or less.
  7. The biofilm removing agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the composition further comprises water, and a content of the component (a) is 0.001 mass% or more and 50 mass% or less and a content of the component (b) is 0.001 mass% or more and 80 mass% or less.
  8. The biofilm removing agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the composition is used for textile products.
  9. A method for removing a biofilm comprising bringing the biofilm removing agent composition according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or a treatment liquid which is an aqueous dilute solution of the composition into contact with an object article where the biofilm exists.
  10. The method for removing a biofilm according to claim 9, wherein after bringing the biofilm removing agent composition or the treatment liquid into contact with the object article where the biofilm exists, the object article to which the biofilm removing agent composition or the treatment liquid adheres is wiped or rinsed with water to remove the biofilm removing agent composition or the treatment liquid from the object article.
  11. The method for removing a biofilm according to claim 9 or 10, wherein the object article is a textile product.
  12. A method for removing a biofilm comprising bringing a treatment liquid into contact with an object article where the biofilm exists, the treatment liquid comprising the following components (a) and (b) and water, component (a): one or more compounds selected from (a1) a compound represented by the following general formula (a1) (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) a bispyridinium compound (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)), wherein in the general formula (a1), R 1a and R 2a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 6 or more and 12 or less carbons, R 3a and R 4a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 or more and 3 or less carbons, and X - is an anion, and component (b): an anionic surfactant.
  13. The method for removing a biofilm according to claim 12, wherein a mass ratio of a content of the component (a) to a content of the component (b) in the treatment liquid, (a)/(b), is 0.001 or more and 7 or less.
  14. The method for removing a biofilm according to claim 12 or 13, wherein after bringing the treatment liquid into contact with the object article where the biofilm exists, the object article to which the treatment liquid adheres is wiped or rinsed with water to remove the treatment liquid from the object article.
  15. Use of a composition comprising the following components (a) and (b) for removing a biofilm from an object article to which the biofilm adheres, component (a): one or more compounds selected from (a1) a compound represented by the following general formula (a1) (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) a bispyridinium compound (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)), wherein in the general formula (a1), R 1a and R 2a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 6 or more and 12 or less carbons, R 3a and R 4a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 or more and 3 or less carbons, and X - is an anion, and component (b): an anionic surfactant.
  16. Use of the composition according to claim 15 for removing a biofilm from an object article to which the biofilm adheres, wherein the component (b) is an anionic surfactant including one or more compounds selected from (b1) a compound represented by the following general formula (b1) (hereinafter referred to as component (b1)), (b2) a compound represented by the following general formula (b2) (hereinafter referred to as component (b2)), and (b3) an internal olefin sulfonate with 14 or more and 20 or less carbons (hereinafter referred to as component (b3)), R 16 -O-[(PO) p /(EO) q ]-SO 3 M (b1) wherein in the general formula (b1), R 1b is a hydrocarbon group with 8 or more and 22 or less carbons, PO is a propyleneoxy group, EO is an ethyleneoxy group, "/" is a symbol indicating that the order in which PO and EO are bonded is unrestricted, p is an average number of added moles of PO and is a number of 0 or more and 10 or less, q is an average number of added moles of EO and is a number of 0 or more and 25 or less, and M is a hydrogen ion, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion (1/2 atom), an ammonium ion, or an organic ammonium ion, and R 2b -B-SO 3 M (b2) wherein in the general formula (b2), R 2b represents an alkyl group with 3 or more and 21 or less carbons, B represents a benzene ring, M is a hydrogen ion, an alkali metal ion, an alkaline earth metal ion (1/2 atom), an ammonium ion, or an organic ammonium ion, and the sulfonic acid group is bonded at the ortho position, meta position, or para position relative to R 2b bonded to B.

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a biofilm removing agent composition and a method for removing a biofilm. Background of the Invention Once bacteria adhere to object articles, the bacteria adhering to the object articles grow and form biofilms. Biofilms are also called biological films or slime, and generally refer to three-dimensional structures formed from macromolecular compounds such as polysaccharides, proteins, and nucleic acids, or the like produced by microorganisms such as bacteria or the like to envelop microorganisms when microorganisms adhere to and grow on the surface of matter. Biofilms also pose problems for individual ordinary people in various situations. For example, in wet environments in households such as the kitchen, sink, areas near bathroom drains, and others, they cause unpleasant slimy stains, foul odors, or the like. Further, not only in these direct water environment areas, but also in situations where water, dampness, and dirt coexist, such as scratches on cutting boards, the inside of dishwashing sponges, washing tubs, and further, fabric products such as clothing, dishcloths, rags, bath mats, or the like, and others, biofilms are more likely to be formed and cause problems. Further, detergents formulated with various types of surfactants are widely used for washing textile products such as clothing or the like. In recent years, as people have become more aware of hygiene, concern about bacteria or viruses adhering to the surfaces of textile products has also been increasing. Therefore, people are undertaking extra efforts or costs to do their washing, such as soaking socks or sweat-stained clothing prone to bacterial growth in detergent liquids for some time, using disinfectants or bleaching agents together with detergents for textile products, or the like. US-B 5728667 discloses a germicidal light-duty dishwashing detergent composition in either a gel or liquid form, which contains a dioctyl dimethylammonium salt and an alkyl ether carboxylate. Summary of the Invention Biofilms adhering to object articles, especially textile products are very difficult to remove because macromolecules constituting biofilms act as a protection barrier that guards bacteria from various types of base agents. The present invention provides a biofilm removing agent composition and a method for removing a biofilm using the same excellent in the removability of a biofilm adhering to an object article, especially a textile product. The present invention relates to a biofilm removing agent composition containing the following components (a) and (b), component (a): one or more compounds selected from (a1) a compound represented by the following general formula (a1) (hereinafter referred to as component (a1)) and (a2) a bispyridinium compound (hereinafter referred to as component (a2)), wherein in the general formula (a1), R1a and R2a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 6 or more and 12 or less carbons, R3a and R4a are each independently a linear or branched alkyl group with 1 or more and 3 or less carbons, and X- is an anion, andcomponent (b): an anionic surfactant. Further, the present invention relates to a method for removing a biofilm including bringing the biofilm removing agent composition of the present invention or a treatment liquid which is an aqueous dilute solution of the composition into contact with an object article where the biofilm exists. Further, the present invention relates to a method for removing a biofilm including bringing a treatment liquid into contact with an object article where the biofilm exists, the treatment liquid containing the above components (a) and (b). Further, the present invention relates to use of a composition containing the above components (a) and (b) for removing a biofilm from an object article to which the biofilm adheres. The present invention provides a biofilm removing agent composition and a method for removing a biofilm using the same excellent in the removability of a biofilm adhering to an object article, especially a textile product. Embodiments of the Invention The reason why the biofilm removing agent composition and the method for removing a biofilm using the same of the present invention are excellent in the removability of a biofilm adhering to an object article, especially a textile product is not wholly certain, but is inferred to be as follows. Biofilms are very difficult to remove because extracellular polysaccharides, one type of the macromolecules constituting biofilms, act as a protection barrier that guards bacteria from various types of base agents. It seems that the present invention enables biofilm removal by loosening the closely-packed structures of these extracellular polysaccharides and dispersing them using a specific cationic surfactant as component (a) and an anionic surfactant as component (b) together. Specifically, it seems that the biofilm removing agent composition of th