AU2010241368A1 - The Treatment of Urine - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 Complete Specification Invention Title: THE TREATMENT OF URINE The following statement describes the best manner of performing the invention known to the applicant: TITLE OF THE INVENTION The Treatment of Urine FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to the treatment of urine. More particularly, this invention relates to a product for treating urine and to a method of producing a product for treating urine. BACKGROUNG TO THE INVENTION Urine is a liquid secreted by the kidneys. It contains waste compounds resulting from cellular metabolism. Many of these waste compounds are rich in nitrogen held in urea. Urine is a transparent solution of approximately 95% water, with the remaining percentages being metabolic wastes such as 0 urea, dissolved salts and organic compounds. Subsequent to elimination from the body, urine can acquire strong odours due to bacterial action. The most noticeable of these is ammonia, which is produced by the breakdown of urea. Urochrome, a pigment, and degradation products of bilirubin and urobilin cause the typical colour of urine, which many consider disagreeable. Repeated flushing of a cistern subsequent to urination can result in a significant use of water in a household. Applicant has found that up to 6400 litres of water can be used annually in an average household for flushing urine using a conventional cistern. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a urine treatment product that 0 includes, by mass 40% to 70% sodium bicarbonate; and 25% to 35% of an acid selected from fumaric acid and citric acid such that the sodium bicarbonate and acid act together to reduce urine odour when introduced into a mixture of water and urine. As a result, the product can help to reduce the need to flush a toilet after urination, thus saving water. The urine treatment product may include an amount of up to 10%, by mass, of excipients to facilitate tablet formation. The excipients may be in the form of a binder and an anti-adherent. The binder may be micro crystalline cellulose. The anti-adherent may comprise 5% to 10%, by mass of the 30 excipients. The anti-adherent may be stearic acid. The binder serves to maintain the integrity of the tablet, while the anti-adherent helps to prevent the tablet from adhering to a tablet press. The urine treatment product may include a surfactant. The surfactant may be sodium lauryl sulfoacetate. The surfactant may be between 1% and 3.5%, by mass, of the product. In another embodiment, the surfactant may be alpha olefin sulphonate (AOS) as 1% to 3.5% by mass of the product.

The urine treatment product may include a microbial formulation selected to facilitate the bacterial breakdown of odour-causing compounds in the urine. The product may include between 0.05% and 0.2% by mass of the microbial formulation. The microbial formulation may include facultative anaerobes to achieve bioconversion of organic compounds through both catabolic and metabolic enzyme digestion. The urine treatment product may contain up to 0.05%, by mass, natural oils. The natural oils may be one of, or a combination of: tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other aromatic oils, aromatherapy oils and citrus oil. The product may include a carrier for the oil or oils. The carrier may be one of tapioca starch and silicon dioxide in the amount of 1% to 7.5%, by mass. The urine treatment product may contain food colouring and aromatic plant powders such as 0 peppermint and spearmint. The urine treatment product may be in the form of a tablet. The tablet may range in weight from 2.5 grams to 5 grams. More specifically, the tablet can weigh 4 grams. It will be appreciated that the weight can vary further depending on the particular application for the tablets. The tablets may be coated with a hydrophobic layer to inhibit moisture absorption during storage. The invention extends to a kit for the treatment of urine, the kit including a container; and a plurality of tablets, each being in the form of the urine treatment product as described above. The container may be configured to facilitate dispensing of the tablets. For example, the container may be a blister pack or other type of container that facilitates dispensing of single tablets. 0 Instead, the container may be in the form of a container that conforms to the shape of a number of the tablets stacked together to minimise an amount of air in the container. Such a container may incorporate a porous receptacle that carries a desiccant. The invention also extends to a urine treatment capsule which includes a casing configured to dissolve in water; and a urine treatment product as described above within the casing. According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of producing a urine treatment product, the method including the step of: mixing, by mass, 40% to 70% sodium bicarbonate and 25% to 35% of one of citric acid and fumaric acid such that the sodium bicarbonate and acid act together to reduce urine odour when 30 introduced into a mixture of water and urine. The method may include mixing the sodium bicarbonate and acid with a microbial formulation, natural oils and a surfactant. The method may include the step of mixing excipients with the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid or fumaric acid and pressing the mixture to form a tablet. The excipients may be in the form of a binder and an anti-adherent. The binder may be micro crystalline cellulose and the anti-adherent may be stearic acid mixed with the binder in a proportion of 5%-10% by mass.

In one embodiment, the tablet may be coated with a hydrophobic layer to inhibit moisture absorption, particularly when citric acid is used. The method may include mixing one or more of the following constituents with the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid: * up to 0.05%, by mass, natural oils, such as peppermint, spearmint and orange oil; * 1% to 7.5%, by mass, oil carrier, which may be tapioca starch or silicon dioxide; * up to 10% of the excipients. * 0.05% to 0.2%, by mass, microbial formulation; * 1% to 3.5%, by mass, surfactant; 0 0 food colouring; * aromatic plant powders The method may include producing the urine treatment product as a liquid dosage or within a blister pack or other type of container that facilitates dispensing of single tablets. The method may also include the step of producing the product as a capsule with a dissolvable casing. The invention is now described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is intended to describe to a person of ordinary skill in the field how to produce a preferred embodiment of the invention. As such, it is not intended to limit the scope of the preceding paragraphs or the appended claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 0 Figure 1 shows one embodiment of a kit, in accordance with the invention, for the treatment of urine. Figure 2 shows another embodiment of a kit, in accordance with the invention, for the treatment of urine. DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION An embodiment of the invention is a dispensable product for the treatment of urine. The product is intended to neutralise odours and to alter the pigment of urine in a toilet pan or bowl. As a result, the product can result in a user being able to replace flushing the pan with the dispensing of the product in accordance with the invention. An average person passes between 175 ml and 350 ml of urine when urinating. This amount can 30 vary significantly depending on that person's physiology and other factors, such as liquid intake, health conditions, etc. A conventional toilet uses between 3 and 11 litres of water for each flush. It follows that, roughly, a best case scenario is that the ratio of clean water to urine is 12:1 and a worst case scenario is 44:1. The following embodiments of the invention can be used three times a day per average household.

Applicant calculates that would be a saving of between 8.4 and 18 litres a day. Thus, the average household could save as much as 3000 to 6400 litres annually. One embodiment of the invention is a combination of a carbonate and an acid. In the form of a tablet, it can produce an effervescent action which releases a mixture of a microbial formulation for bacterial action, odour-reducing and colouring agents and a mild surfactant into a urine/water mixture in the toilet pan. The carbonate, acid and other constituents act together to neutralise urine odour generated by ammonia produced by the chemical breakdown of urea. The microbial formulation results in a bacterial breakdown of odour-causing products in the urine. The carbonate is in the form of sodium bicarbonate. The acid is in the form of fumaric acid. 0 However, the acid can also be in the form of citric acid. Citric acid is more hygroscopic than fumaric acid. Thus, citric acid can be suitable in climates that are dryer than those in which fumaric acid is suitable. The microbial formulation is of the type suitable for treating a wide range of municipal and industrial waste water. Such formulations are configured for eliminating fats, oils and grease, similar organic solids and sludge. As a result, they are capable of reducing odours in municipal waste water. Furthermore, the microbial formulation is of the type configured to reduce Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD) test values. It can also be of the type that is used to improve the overall efficiency of a waste water treatment system by preventing the build-up of organic solids and sludge in lift stations and sewer lines. In one embodiment, the microbial formulation includes facultative anaerobes to achieve 0 bioconversion of organic compounds through both catabolic and metabolic enzyme digestion. The microbial formulation can have characteristics that include a liquid state, a specific gravity of about 1.02 kg/Il at 20 degrees Celsius, an active pH range of between 4.5 and 8.5 and a viscosity of 0.13 to 0.25 dynes/cm 2 at 20 degrees Celsius. The surfactant is one of sodium lauryl sulfoacetate and alpha olefin sulphonate. Further odour-reducing agents include natural oils. The natural oils can include one or more of tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, spearmint, aromatherapy oils and citrus oil. In one embodiment, citrus oil, of the type extracted from rinds and seeds of citrus fruits, is contained in the product. In particular, the citrus oil can be that which is known as "food grade d'limonene" or simply "orange oil". This substance contains approximately 90% d'limonene and is noticeable by its distinct 30 orange colour and strong orange fragrance. Orange oil is natural and non-hazardous to waterways. A suitable colouring agent includes a mixture of tartrazine CAS 1934-21-0 (70% by mass) and Brilliant Blue CAS 3844-45-9 (30% by mass). In one embodiment, the product is provided as a tablet. Thus, that embodiment of the product includes excipients to enhance the integrity of the tablet. In particular, the excipients are used to ensure that the tablets can be produced using a rotary press. The excipients are used to address the problem of capping or breakage.

One of the excipients is a binder. The binder is micro crystalline cellulose. One of the excipients is an anti-adherent to reduce adhesion between the product and punch faces of the rotary press. The anti-adherent is stearic acid. The anti-adherent makes up 5% to 10%, by mass of the excipients. The tablet can contain an oil carrier in the form of tapioca starch, which can be used to carry the d'limonene. Another example of a suitable oil carrier is silicon dioxide. In this case, the silicon dioxide can be used as a carrier for the d'limonene. After urination, a single tablet or other metered dosage is introduced into the toilet pan. The 0 dosage helps to neutralise the odour caused by the ammonia by-product of urea breakdown. The dosage also changes the colour of the liquid in the pan to green. The calcium bicarbonate in the dosage increases the pH of the water/urine mixture towards a neutral value. The increase is buffered by the presence of fumaric or citric acid. In general, the constituents of a tablet, in accordance with an embodiment of the invention are: sodium bicarbonate, one of fumaric and citric acid, food colouring, microbial formulation, excipients, surfactant, natural oils and an oil carrier. In particular, the constituents are, by mass: * 60% sodium bicarbonate; * 25% citric acid or fumaric acid; 0 0 0% -10% of the excipients; * 1%-7.5% of the oil carrier; * 1% of the microbial formulation; * 2% of the surfactant; * 0.05% of the natural oils; 0 relatively small amounts of food colouring and aromatic plant powders such as peppermint and spearmint. In order to produce the tablets of this particular embodiment, the ingredients are mixed evenly in a paddle mixer or similar apparatus. Initially, the natural oils are mixed with the binding agent. These constituents are then blended 30 with the dry powders of the remaining products. The resultant mixture is fed into a hopper of a rotary tablet press configured to produce tablets. The weight of the tablets can vary from 2 grams to 5 grams. Preferably, the weight of the tablet is 4 grams.

The tablets can be coated with a hydrophobic layer and stored in airtight containers. The containers can be tamper-proof or child-proof. In another embodiment, the tablets can be stored in a blister pack or other similar push-through dispensing package. Applicant has found that when tablets of the invention are used in climates with a high humidity, such tablets can degrade if incorrect constituents are used or particular packaging is not used. For example, in such climates, fumaric instead of citric acid is used because fumaric acid is less hygroscopic than citric acid. As far as the packaging is concerned, the blister packs referred to above can be used to avoid 0 problems with high humidity. Another example of suitable packaging is a container of the type which conforms to the shape of a number of the tablets stacked together so as to reduce the amount of empty space when the tablets are packed in the container. The container can incorporate a desiccant. In particular the container can incorporate a porous receptacle that stores the desiccant. The porous receptacle can form part of the lid of the container. Applicant carried out a number of tests on an embodiment of the invention in tablet form. Each test used 250 ml of urine. The toilet bowl or pan that was flushed held 1.8 litres prior to each flush. The tests were carried over several months. It was found that an average household saved up to 24% on its water usage after using the tablets of the invention for three months. Initially, the pH of the water/urine mixture was 5.3 to 6.7. After the addition of a 4 gram tablet, in 0 accordance with an embodiment of the invention, a typical pH movement was 5.3 - 5.6 to 6.7-6.9. The tests showed a consistent pH increase of between 1.1 and 1.3 with the addition of further 4 gram tablets. This buffered pH increase served to reduce the odour of the water/urine mixture. Furthermore, in each test, the water/urine mixture was seen to become green in colour and thus more aesthetically acceptable. It should be noted that water can often vary between acidic and alkaline depending on the municipal or rain water supply. However, this variable did not affect the overall result which was a reduction in odour and a change in colour. It is to be noted that the calcium bicarbonate and the citric or fumaric acid acted together on the water/urine mixture to generate a buffered rise in pH levels. As such it was found that it was not possible 30 to achieve desirable results by simply adding only calcium bicarbonate to the water/urine mixture. It was found also that the use of the microbial formulation assisted in the breakdown of potentially harmful bacteria in the pan. Furthermore, the action of the microbial formulation was assisted by the pH moving towards the higher range. Thus, it was concluded that the calcium carbonate, the citric/fumaric acid and the microbial formulation acted together synergistically to reduce odour, change colour and degrade harmful bacteria in the water/urine mixture.

Furthermore, it was found that the use of the surfactant helped to break down the surface tension of the water to facilitate operation of the calcium bicarbonate, the acid and the microbial formulation. This indicated a synergistic relationship between those three constituents and the surfactant. Instead of tablets, the product can be carried in a suitable liquid for dispersal into the toilet pan. In such an embodiment, the liquid can be stored in a container configured for metered dispensing. In another embodiment, the product can be a capsule with a dissolvable casing. The capsule can be ball-shaped. In Figure 1, reference numeral 10 generally indicates one embodiment of a kit, in accordance with the invention, for the treatment of urine. 0 The kit 10 includes a container 12. The container 12 is cylindrical and contains a number of tablets 14, also in accordance with the invention, and as described above. The tablets 14 are disc shaped. The container 12 has a diameter that is such that the tablets 14 can slide in and out of the container 12. A lid 16 is engaged with a mouth 18 of the container 12 in a releasable, air-tight manner. The lid 16 incorporates a porous receptacle 18 in which a desiccant is stored. Thus, an internal volume of the container 12 can be kept relatively free of moisture. This inhibits degradation of the tablets 14 due to their hygroscopic nature. In Figure 2, reference numeral 20 generally indicates another embodiment of a kit, in accordance with the invention, for the treatment of the urine. 0 The kit 20 is in the form of a blister pack. The blister pack 20 includes a floor 22. A number of tablets 26, also in accordance with the invention, and as described above, are positioned on the floor 22. A flexible cover 28 is fastened to the floor 22 such that the cover 28 and the floor 22 together define sealed enclosures 30 in which respective tablets 26 are stored. Each tablet 26 is positioned above a region 32 of the floor 22 defined by zones of weakness 24. Thus, each tablet 26 can be dispensed from its associated enclosure 30 through the associated region 32. This serves to inhibit degradation of the remaining tablets 26 once one or more of the tablets 26 has been dispensed. Throughout the specification, including the claims, where the context permits, the term "comprising" and variants thereof such as "comprise" or "comprises" are to be interpreted as including the 30 stated integer or integers without necessarily excluding any other integers. It is to be understood that the terminology employed above is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. The described embodiments are intended to be illustrative of the invention, without limiting the scope thereof. The invention is capable of being practised with various modifications and additions as will readily occur to those skilled in the art.

Claims (22)

1. A urine treatment product that comprises, by mass 40% to 70% sodium bicarbonate; and 25% to 35% of an acid selected from fumaric acid and citric acid such that the sodium bicarbonate and acid act together to reduce urine odour when introduced into a mixture of water and urine.

2. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 1, which contains between 0.05% and 0.2% by mass of a microbial formulation.

3. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 2, in which the microbial formulation includes 0 facultative anaerobes to achieve bioconversion of organic compounds through both catabolic and metabolic enzyme digestion.

4. A urine treatment product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, which contains between 1% and 3.5%, by mass, of surfactant.

5. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 4, in which the surfactant is one of sodium lauryl sulfoacetate and alpha olefin sulphonate.

6. A urine treatment product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which contains up to 0.05%, by mass, natural oils.

7. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 6, in which the natural oils are one of, or a combination of: tea tree oil, eucalyptus oil, lavender oil, peppermint oil, spearmint oil, other aromatic oils, 0 aromatherapy oils and citrus oil.

8. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 6 or 7, which contains an oil carrier in the amount of between 1% and 7.5%, by mass, the oil carrier being in the form of one of tapioca starch and silicon dioxide .

9. A urine treatment product as claimed in any one of the preceding claims which is in the form of a tablet.

10. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 9, in which the tablet contains up to 10%, by mass, of an excipient.

11. A urine treatment product as claimed in claim 10, in which the excipient includes a binding agent and an anti-adherent in the form of micro crystalline cellulose and stearic acid, respectively, the stearic 30 acid being between 5% and 10%, by mass, of the excipient.

12. A kit for the treatment of urine, the kit comprising at least one container; and at least one tablet as claimed in any one of claims 8 to 10 stored in the, or each respective, container and dispensable therefrom.

13. A kit as claimed in claim 12, in the form of a blister pack, a number of the containers being defined by a floor and a flexible covering attached to the floor.

14. A kit as claimed in claim 12, in which the container conforms to the shape of a number of the tablets stacked together to minimise an amount of air in the container and has a substantially air-tight closure that can be removed to dispense a tablet and subsequently replaced.

15. A kit as claimed in claim 14 in which the closure incorporates a porous receptacle that carries a desiccant.

16. A method of producing a urine treatment product, the method comprising the step of: 0 mixing, by mass 40% to 70% sodium bicarbonate and 25% to 35% of one of citric acid and fumaric acid such that the sodium bicarbonate and acid act together to reduce urine odour when introduced into a mixture of water and urine.

17. A method as claimed in claim 16, which includes the step of mixing an amount of up to 10%, by mass, of an excipient with the sodium bicarbonate and fumaric or citric acid and pressing the mixture to form a tablet.

18. A method as claimed in claim 17, in which the step of mixing the excipient includes the step of mixing a binder and an anti-adherent in the form of micro crystalline cellulose and 5% to 10%, by mass, stearic acid.

19. A method as claimed in claim 17 or 18, in which at least one of the following constituents are 0 mixed with the sodium bicarbonate and citric acid: up to 0.05%, by mass, natural oils; 0.05% to 0.2%, by mass, microbial formulation; 1% to 3.5%, by mass, surfactant; food colouring; aromatic plant powders such as peppermint and spearmint.

20. A method as claimed in claim 19, in which an amount of 1% to 7.5%, by mass, of one of silicon dioxide and tapioca starch is mixed with the natural oils to act as a carrier.

21. A urine treatment product, substantially as described herein, with reference to the accompanying drawings. 30

22. A method, substantially as described herein, of producing a urine treatment product.