KR-20260065433-A - Composition for detecting hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite salt

Abstract

The present invention relates to a composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite comprising leukomethylene blue, and by utilizing leukomethylene blue, which has strong antioxidant properties, hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite remaining in drinking water or swimming pools can be detected quickly and easily.

Inventors

• 김재린
• 사나 안냐 칸탁
• 아비게일 손
• 웨슬리 신
• 민진 아이린 김
• 디모데 박
• 이준혁
• 연우 석
• 리디아 해진 최
• 제나 박
• 제이든 박
• 레오 방

Assignees

• 유정원

Dates

Publication Date

20260508

Application Date

20241101

Claims (4)

1. Composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite containing leukomethylene blue
2. A composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite according to claim 1, wherein the solution comprises a reducing agent.
3. In claim 2, the reducing agent consists of ascorbic acid, formic acid, and oxalic acid. A composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite, characterized by being at least one type selected from the group of suitable substances.
4. A composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite according to claim 1, wherein the solution comprises an acid and a solvent.

Description

Composition for detecting hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite salt The present invention relates to a composition for detecting hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite, which can quickly and easily detect hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite using leucomethylene blue. Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) play a crucial role in various life functions within living organisms. In particular, hypochlorous acid (HClO) or hypochlorite salts ( ClO⁻ ) are produced within organisms through the reaction of H₂O₂ and chloride ions by activated neutrophils ; they act as oxidizing agents that kill pathogens. Physiologically relevant levels of hypochlorous acid in living organisms range from 5 μM to 25 μM. Excessive levels of hypochlorous acid within an organism can react with various biomolecules, such as proteins and amino acids, potentially causing cardiovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, and cancer. Therefore, highly sensitive and selective detection is essential to observe the abnormal behavior of hypochlorite salts. Furthermore, hypochlorous acid is used in daily life as a household and industrial disinfectant or bleach, and is widely used for disinfecting drinking water and swimming pool water, as well as for controlling bacteria and odors in the food industry. Chlorine exists in an equilibrium state between hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite depending on pH in water, and is generally used in a concentration range of 10⁻⁵ M to 10⁻² M to disinfect drinking water. In Korea, the residual chlorine level in drinking water is 4.0 mg/L or lower. However, if hypochlorite remains in the water at an excessive concentration, it poses a risk to human health. Nevertheless, there are very few kits or sensors available to detect hypochlorite (or hypochlorous acid), and they have the disadvantage of being very expensive. Therefore, there is a need for a method to quickly and easily detect biologically and environmentally minute amounts of hypochlorite (or hypochlorous acid) contained in drinking water at a low cost. Figure 1 shows the methylene blue before and after reduction to leucomethylene blue in the present invention. Figure 2 is a graph of absorbance versus time required to reduce methylene blue to leucomethylene blue in the present invention. Figure 3 is a graph of absorbance versus time during the oxidation of leucomethylene blue to methylene blue in the present invention. The present invention will be described below with reference to the attached drawings. However, the present invention can be implemented in various different forms and is therefore not limited to the embodiments described herein. In order to achieve the above-mentioned technical problem, one embodiment of the present invention provides a composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite comprising leucomethylene blue. The composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite utilizes leucomethylene blue, which has strong antioxidant properties and is harmless to the human body, to quickly and easily detect hypochlorous acid and hypochlorite remaining in drinking water or swimming pools. The present invention will be described in more detail below. The present invention provides a composition for detecting hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite comprising leucomethylene blue. Methylene blue has generally been used for a wide range of indications, such as methemoglobinemia, encephalopathy caused by ifosfamide, thyroid surgery, cyanide poisoning, Alzheimer's disease, and other neurodegenerative diseases. However, it has been used only to treat and prevent diseases by scavenging oxygen radicals, and has not been used to detect hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite remaining in drinking water or swimming pools. Leucomethylene blue is a substance that can be produced by reducing methylene blue and possesses strong antioxidant properties. Since leucomethylene blue is a deep blue color and methylene blue in its oxidized state is colorless, the presence of hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite can be confirmed based on the change in color. Furthermore, the content of hypochlorous acid or hypochlorite can be determined by measuring absorbance. The content of the leucomethylene blue can be appropriately determined depending on the type, but generally, 0.1 to 10 weight percent of the total solution is preferred, and if it is less than 0.1 weight percent, the detection efficacy may decrease. The leucomethylene blue mentioned above can be prepared by reducing methylene blue with a reducing agent. The reducing agent may be, for example, at least one selected from the group consisting of magnesium metal, sodium metal, zinc metal, glucose, oxalic acid, sodium sulfite, sodium tin(II) chloride, sodium thiosulfate, ascorbic acid, formic acid, and oxalic acid, but ascorbic acid is particularly preferred. Ascorbic acid is most preferred as the reducing agent of the present invention because it is very easy to find, cost-effective, non-toxic, and very safe to handle. The content of the a