AU696096B2 - Improvements relating to soluble powder prescription fertiliser compositions - Google Patents

Description

IM-PROVEMENTS RE ATlNQ TO ROLBT. POWER 'rsRIP-- FER IMLSER _COMjaOSITNS The present invention is directed io fertiliser compositions, their prep aration and use, in particular, it relates to fertiliser compositions especially prescribed for and available to the substrate.

BACKrROTJND ART Existing fertilisers exhibit problems of immobility, leachi ng and surface run-off. It is well known that other fertilisers, after application onto the surface of the soil, may remain on the surface and be washed away or leached during rainfall1. This, most of the fertiliser becomes unavailable to be utilised by the plants in the area of application..

Another problem is fertiliser nurient chemicals fonning insoluble precipitates with other ions in the fertilising composition or with chemicals present in the soil, rendering these.

nutrients unavailable to the life forms present in the Soil. if rainfall ensues after application of conventional fertilisers, highly concentrated solutions can result These when in contact with mnicro-organisms in the soil invariably kill most of them. With lowering of the population of soil micro-organisms, the beneficial effect of these micro- :organisms in converting organic and inorganic material to soluble nutrients available for assimilation by plants is lost. As little as 1% of the 9% phosphorous content in superphosphate maay ever be absorbed- This is costly and wasteful for farmers.

Furthermore, conventioLal fertil[isers are often padded with insoluble carriers of little use.

Invariably this mnaterial contains accumulative poisons of cadmium, arsenic, mercury and lead which build up in the soil and plants causing toxicity to plants and animals- Another problem is many soils, for example on farms and orchards, are deficient in differing nutrients and generic fertilisers cannot address the individual requirements of the substrates.

2 The present invention seeks to address these problems by providing a specifically prescribed fertiliser which ensures all applied nutrients are available for continued absorption by soil and plants growing thereon. The present invention uses food grade chemicals which are refined and to the standard of the British Pharmaceutical Codex. This means that there are no carriers nor accumulative poisons.

According to one aspect of the present invention there is provided a solid, completely soluble fertiliser composition for application to a substrate, said composition being of a selected composition and pH and comprising at least one major element (as defined herein) at least one trace element (as'defined herein) gelling agents and anti-hygroscopic protective agents for said elements S: wherein the amounts of elements included in the fertiliser i.i composition are specifically prescribed for the substrate and 25 wherein the gelling agents and anti-hygroscopic protective agents render all of the elements available to the substrate following application.

Major elements required in the soil to enable healthy 30 growth of life forms supported thereon are carbon, "hydrogen, nitrogen, oxygen, calcium, potassium, phosphorus and sulphur, and the minor or trace elements which are required for healthy growth are magnesium, iron, manganese, cobalt, copper, boron, selenium, zinc, sodium and molybdenum. Being trace elements, these are often required in minute amounts. However, their absence can prove a devastating to plant health and that of animals grazing \\melb0l\homeS\Chelley\Keep\BN\65839 .94.doc 25/05/98 ~rI 2a thereon.

The fertiliser of the present invention is a balanced formulation. Plants in particular are unable to actively absorb nutrients in some pH ranges. For most plants a pH of 5.8-6.5 is the recommended range. Fertiliser of the present invention is accordingly formulated so that the pH is close to the neutral point, pH 7.

*V ee e ee e \\melbol\ome\Chelley\Keep\BJN\ 6 58 3 9 .94.doc 25/05/98 I ~a The major nutrients as defined above may be included in the composition as monopotassium phosphate, di-potassium phosphate, mono-ammonium phosphate, diammonium phosphate, sodium chloride, potassium sulphate, ammonium sulphate, sodium thiosulphate and urea. Preferred forms are di-ammonium phosphate, dipotassium phosphate and sodium thiosulphate but it will be appreciated any other compounds incorporating these nutrients are within the scope of the present invention.

Incorporating such compounds into a solution without the use of protective agents would result in inter-reaction and precipitation, thereby rendering the compounds substantially unavailable to the soil andpastures, One mode of doing this in the solid blend is to incorporated anti-hygroscopic protective agents to protect the above-noted major compounds containing majoF nutrients from absorbing water into the powdered compositions, and spoiling same. This is because hygroscopic substances such as salts of phosphate or sodium, potassium and ammonium salts in moist air take up the water and dissolve in it, enabling chemical interaction and spoilage.

The protective agents protecting against hygroscopy are substances exhibiting channel lattice complex properties. Such substances hold the compounds within the spatially formatted lattice, and protect the compounds from interaction with others. Any soluble channel lattice forming substances may be used but preferred forms are urea, glucose, 20 sucrose or any other soluble carbohydrate or derivatives of same.

Similarly, calcium and the other minor nutrients must be incorporated into the powdered composition in a state such they are soluble, but do not interact with other ingredients.

To do this, all elements must be present in a compound having a charge of less than positive 2. Known chelates or complexes incorporating the minor elements may be incorporated. However, the applicant has found that carbohydrates and derivatives of carbohydrates show ease of forming soluble salt complexes with the trace elements. For example, it has been found that calcium can be complexed with glucose, a mono- I RAi.3

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4 saccharide, in solution with calcium salts to produce a calcium soluble complex with no cation effect.

Similarly, the mono-saccharide by mild oxidation to the acid and neutralisation with sodium or potassium alkali produces a soluble acid salt which has gelling effect with mild acids and cations of positive 2 or more. It will be appreciated that the trace elements will be incorporated in the fertiliser in any form having a charge of under positive 2.

The amounts of the above major and minor cations incorporated in any form having a charge of under positive 2 in the powder composition are specifically tailored to the nutrient content of the substrate to be treated, or crops or pastures growing thereon. Ranges of the major elements included can be from 0-37% N, 0-26% P, 0-32% K, 0- 21% S and minor elements as required.

20 The elements are all in very fine powdered form of approximately 200 microns per particle.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provide a method of fertilising a substrate using a 25 solid, completely soluble fertiliser composition as described herein, comprising the steps of testing the substrate for nutrient content 30 investigating pH of the substrate ascertaining the nutrient level and pH of the substrate and drawing up a prescription intended to address the deficiencies/excesses of the nutrients mixing the major and minor trace elements in protected form into a powdered substance which will be \\melb91\homeS\Chelley\Keep\BJN\ 6 5 8 39 9 4.doc 25/05/98

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4a completely soluble yet non-reactive in solution and transporting the powdered medium to the site for application mixing with a liquid to an appropriate dilution and applying to the substrate.

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As the compound is transported as a highly concentrated powdered mixture, transport costs are much below conventional fertilisers. The composition may be made into a solution either with water or with other water containing products such as whey.

A food grade dye may preferably be incorporated in the composition such that the user, when diluting the composition, can determine the degree of concentration of the liquid fertiliser against a colour chart and apply. By analysis of the foliage where the dye and nutrients are encapsulated in the gel should the material be applied at a concentration above the allowable level prescribed then this concentration can be determined. The presence of the dye further enables it to be easily seen where the spray has been applied.

A range of other substances may be incorporated prior to mixing in the powdered composition as long as they have a chemical charge under positive 2 or are in chelate or complex form. Such optional additional ingredients may include powdered food forms,.

including carbohydrates and proteins and fats, oils, vitamins, and other macro and micro elements.

15 Alternatively, insoluble optional ingredients may be emulsified with a substance, and added when the composition has been made into solution. Suitable emulsifant substances may be poly-saccharide derived emulsifying agents such as soluble sodium, potassium or ammonium salts of methylated, oxidised cellulose. However, it will be appreciated any other suitable emulsifying agent may be used.

20 Gelling agents as used in the composition and methods of the present invention are especially developed and selected such that they do not gel when the composition is made 99 up into solution, but form a gel or mucilage only on contact with foliage, or when in contact with cations of a charge positive 2 or above in the soil. The nature of the gelling e agent is such that when the gelling agents come in contact with the respiration product carbon dioxide (which dissolves in water to form a mild acid carbonic acid), they form into a protective gel or mucilage with clathratic properties. Thus, the gelling agents when gelled both hold moisture incoriorating the dissolved ions, chelates or complexes of nutrients that are soluble with no cation effect of 2 positive or more, in proximity to the foliage and soil, and (ii) comprise a delivery mechanism to the soil and/or roots of the plants. In addition, when contacting ions of a charge positive 2 or more, a mucilage is formed in the soil again enveloping the chemicals, holding the ions as a guest in the cage like space created by the mucilage. Transfer to life forms by active absorption is permitted, however the holding properties of the mucilage are such that ions are not washed away by leaching.

In a preferred form the gelling agents may comprise any one or more of the following: mono-saccharides oxidised and then forming either sodium, potassium, or ammonium salts (or with any cation having a charge of+1) di-saccharides oxidised and then forming salts having a charge of The disaccharides may be sucrose, fructose etc straight chain polysaccharides such as starch branched chain polysaccharides.

An example is cellulose, which when methylated and ethylated forms a soluble emulsifying agent (as noted above useful for incorporating insoluble compounds such as oils, hormones etc) and yet is also gel-forming where the methylated, etholated etc 20 cellulose products are oxidised to the acid and the alkali salt formed (from positive 1 cation) will gel in the presence of mild acids, eg. carbonic acid on foliage and cations having a charge greater than 1 eg. in the soil. Cellulose may be used in the same manner.

S*:i According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a soluble methyl cellulose or paper strip impregnated with a fertilising substance substantially as claimed herein and with seeds and optionally with insecticides, herbicides, weedicides, hormones and/or vitamins. It can accordingly be seen that the fertilising composition of the present invention need not be directly applied to mature foliage or to treat soil deficiencies, but may be specially formulated for the needs of germinating seeds. Having all constituents in soluble form, they will all be available to the growing seed and seedlings. The method used allows all the nutrient levels to address not only soil deficiencies but also to balance levels required for optimal growth: Seeds require for germination a balance of all 16 nutrients as well as a high phosphorus and potassium level and low nitrogen level. On the emergence of the shoots and leaves a high nitrogen level is desirable. With fruiting, a high potassium and phosphorus, low nitrogen, balance of all nutrient is optimal. The ability of fertilisers of the present invention to be changed to address plant development requirements is superior over other fertilisers whichr can only supply one to three nutrients and do not have the scope to be altered according to plant development requirements.

Further, the above strip has a pH around pH 7 and does not destroy the seeds. Other fcrtilisers when applied to germinating seeds are acidic or highly concentrated destroying some of the seeds.

It can be seen that the fertiliser of the present invention has numerous advantages.

Firstly, the content of the composition is determined only after soil tests reveal the deficiencies and excesses of soil substrate. Wasteful or insufficient amounts of the nutrients are accordingly not incorporated in the fertiliser. The mixture of constituents when in powdered form is completely soluble, and yet protected from chemical reaction, either by being protected by channel lattice compounds from absorbing water, or by being in complex or chelate form.

The gelling agents ensure the solution does not begin to gel when made up, but rather l gelling is delayed until the dilution/solution is applied to foliage and the soil. The outside 25 presence of carbonic acid and/or soil cations having a charge of positive 2 or more that cause gelling. The gel/mucilage forming properties of the fertiliser and the clathratic properties mean that the problems of immobility, leaching, surface run-off and insufficient nutrient application are addressed while the nutrients are completely available to the soil and life form supported therein.

The use of carbohydrates and carbohydrate derivatives, for example as anti-hygroscopic protective agents, gelling agents and emulsifants provides food sources for microorganisms, fungi, soil bacteria and so on. The monosaccharides are the most easily assimilated and metabolised.

The diluent may be either water, or may alternatively be whey. An advantage of ordinary water is that it usually contains very low concenrations of heavy ions with a charge of positive 2 or greater. The concentration of such ions being very low in most waters, it would require the solution to be left untouched for up to six to eight hours for any gelling to take place. This allows ample time for the product to be made into solution and applied.

Whey may alternatively be used. The dilution levels of whey as opposed to water is approximately 40:1.

Optional ingredients may be added. As well as addressing soil nutrient deficiencies, a balance of nutrients can be provided for optimal health. Vitamins are a particularly important example of these optional ingredients. Further optional ingredients are pest treatments or medicaments to treat disease. For example, sex hormones could be included to control rodent and insect pests susceptible to sex hormone application.

o** 20 Alternatively to treat foot rot, the appropriate medicament may be included.

Inclusion of a dye is of great use to the applicator in being able to determine the correct dilution level. Further, the nature of the dye can have significant effects on pasture or crop growth. For example, use of a blue dye such as methylene blue, mimicking a filtered blue light, aids fruit maturity. Use of a blue dye in the gel which forms on the foliage and fruit of apples, kiwifruit, citrus fruit, encourages early ripening and concurrent maturation of all the fruit together.

V C It is also found2 with a fertiliser incorporating rtd food gra&z dye of the production of tomatoes is increased by 40%. The fruit is not watery, but flehy with much more flavour than by using conventional fertilisers. Also it has beer. found that the gel protect's the fivit from white fly infestation.

However, it will be- .9ppreciated that the primary advantages of the present invenition is that all specifically selected constituent ingredients of the composition ame con, 1ined in a form such that they are all soluble in solution without inter-reacting and precipitating out, and art, prmbined with protective agents sucvh that gelling occurs only after application to a substrate, flFST MQ QABBYIQCARRYhG JN"VKNTjqN The trace element constituents in a fertiliser onposirior. according to the present invention totalled 2.137% w/w comuprised the following which is given by way of example only- *Boric acid .003429 Cobalt chelate .00220 0 Copper chelare .009389 SIon chelate .073954 Magnesium chelate .294831 *Manganese, chelata- .000709 Znc chelate .0073 34 Potassium iodide .000654 9

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The macro elements comprised 16%a w/w nitrogen, 11% wlw phosphorus. 8.7% w/W potassium, 3.5% w/w sulphur, 30/w/w/w sodium and were incorporated by: quatity offElementsin MixFoIGkg w 8.96% w/w di-airnonium phosphate 4.604% w/w di-potassium phosphate 10.48% w/w mono-ammronium phosphate 22.99% wlw mono-potassium phosphate 12.572,7 w/w sodium thiosulphate 27.592%o w/w urea 11.036% wlw dextrose (channel-lattice, forming compound) The gellng agent was 1.25% wlw sodium alginate. The dye was 0.12.5%wlw tripheny; *.**.methane dye.

The skilled scientist is able to apportion nutrient I evels to raise and lower deficien, excess nutrients. The skilled scientist is further able to calculate percentages based. 3-i molecular weight to ascertain the exact percentage of each constituent element from the co~pounds used- For example, it will be appreciated that the percentage of nitrogen will do have to be calculated based on not just the urea content, but also the ammoniumn co mpounds' content and so on.

S..The minor ingredients are stored in small hoppers permitting the taking of a weighed quantity from each hopper. Th!e macro ingredients stored in large hoppers. To formulate the fertiliser from the powdered constituents each component is weighed and then both the minor and macro ingredients are blown to the blender by air to be blended into a homogenous blend. All major and minor ingredients are ground before delivery to their hoppers to a particle size of approximately 200 micro; Once the formulation has been provided for a given substrate and/or crop the concentrated powder mixture is transported to the intended site of.application.and made into solution. The solution can be applied in hydroponics, and into irrigation systems and may have added weedicides, herbicides, insecticides, hormones or medication.

Example 2 Medicaments intended to treat animals grazing on the pasture may be incorporated eg.

stimulating hormones, drenches, antibiotics'and so on. An example was tested with 78 calves 18 months old where 1.5kg of the drench piperazine citrate was added to a prescription fertiliser of the present invention and applied to pasture the day before admitting the stock. The stock had been starved overnight. The amount of drench added to the fertiliser was calculated as per ordinary application rates.

All the tested faeces were devoid of spores which lasted without reinfestation one and a 15 half times longer than other drenching products.

a Example 3 .It has been found that prescription feature containing protective gelling materials reduce the amount of additional treatments. For example, when 2-4D was used to kill thistle in V pastures 25% less 2-4D was used and provided a better kill rate than 2-4D when used 20 without the prescription fertiliser containing gelling material. 2-4D works best when the thistle is in a stage of growth. The prescription fertiliser caused increased growth and the gel encapsulating 2-4D did not wash off with rain giving a better kill and saving on the c 2**y* cost of 2-4D by using less.

a L I J?xample 4 The following example compares the efficacy of a fertiliser of the present invention in adjusting soil and pasture, nutrient levels closer to the optimum range over and above a conventional solid fertiliser.

Table No. 1 shows the composition of the fertiliser of the present invention that was used in this example. The control conyt.ntional ferlili'er and novel fertiliser mix of the present invention were tested on the same property. It is apparent fromn Tables 2-9, that the novel fertiliser of the present inveinton, which is manufactured for approximately one quarter the cost of conventional fertilisers andlis much more efficiently applied given that there is no wastage of fertiliser ingredients by leaching, run-off etc, exhibits superior performance in terms of adjustinig a range of nutrient levels in comparson to the control conventional solid fertiliser.

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K0 Table No. 1 Quantity of Elements in Novel for 100 kg. %/ww Fertiliser Mix Ammnoniumn Sulphate 5.368 Gelling substance (sodium gluconate) 4.00 Trace elem~ents* 0.14 Dextrose 8.052 Diammnonium. phosphate 15.216 Dipotassium phosphate 8.94-4 Mo~noarnmonlum phosphate 3.576 Monopotassium, phosphate 19.688 Sodium thiosuiphate 6.26 .Urea 28.632 0 0a Triphenyl methane dye_ 0.125 *trace elements comrnpising Boric acid .002858, cobalt cholate, 0.002200, copper chelate .000125, iron chelate 0.029582, magnesium chelate 03 0319 1, manganese chelate 0.000354, ::scidium molybdate .000038, selenim chelatc 0.000162, potassium iodide :0.001308kg wlw Table No. 2 Soil Test 1995 before applying Control Fertiliser Analysis j Level Normal Nutrient Status Found Rangj Low Medium igh pH Phosphorus (ig/rml) Potassium (me.1100g) Calciuia (me/1Og) Magpesiun(me/100g) Sodium (me/100g) CEC (ne/100g) BaseSaturation Bulk Density (glml) P Retention Sulphate-S (g/ml) 6.4 18 .44 15.7 1.72 .19 25.0 72 .63 88 18 5,8 15-30 .50- 6.0- 12.0 1.00 3.00 .20- 12.0 -25.0 50-85 0.60- 1.00 30-60 10-20 be..

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153 98 75 15 12 .53 .06 .07 100-250 40-150 30-50 9-12 10-15 .50-2.00 .10-.15 .05-.10 .1 Table No. 4 Control Fertiliser~ Soil Test 1,996 Analysis Level Normal: Nutrient Status Range LoW Medium High pH Phosphorus (jig/mi) Potassium (me/100g) Calcium (Mne/lO0g) Magnesium(ne/100g) Sodium (me/1O0g) CEC (ine/lO0g) Base Sabiration Bulk D~sIty (g/ml) 6.6 28 28 19.1 2.07 .20 26.0 84 62 91 25 5.8 20-30 .50-.80 6.0- 12.0 1.00 -3.00 .20 12.0 -25.0 50- 0.60- 1.00 30-60 10-20 9 44

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44 &9 4 4 4 4 4*4o 44 4* 44 49 4 P Retention Sulphatc-S ([Lg/g) B~se Saturation Data MAF Cation Units %K 1.1; %Na 0.8 K 4; Mg29; 17C074; %7Mg 8-1 Ca Na6 Table No. Control Fertiliser Foliage Test 1996 Analysis Level Normal Nutrient Status Found Range Low Medium. High Nitrogen 3.1 4.0-5.0 Phosphorus .33 .35- Potassium 1.9 2.5- Sulpbur .32 .30- Calcium .89 .455-1.00 Magnesium .37 .20- Sodium .32 .15- Iron 137 100-250 Manganese (pLg/g) 54 40-150 *Zinc (nlg/g) 13 30-5O :Copper (jgl) 14 9-12 Copr (l~ Boron (9gg) 15 10-15 a Mblybdenum (jglg) 1.05 .50 2.00 a: Cobalt (jLg/g) .19 .10-.15 Selenium (wgg) .51 .05- 1 Table No. 6 Soil test 1995 befo-- application of Novel Fertiliser Analysis Level Normal Nutrient Statu-s Found Rag Low Medium gh

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Phosp~horus (gglml) Potassium (ine/lO0g) Calcium (xne./lO0g) Magnesium(me/lO0g) Sodium (tne/100g) CEC (nie/lO0g) Baso Saturation Bulkl~cnsiry (guru) 20 56 19.9 .26 29.0 79 .68 89 16 5.8 15-30 ,50 6.0 -12.0 1.00 -3.00O .20 12.0 -25.0 50-85 0.60 1.00 30 10-20

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Table No. 9 XNoveI Fertillser IFoilage oret April 1996 Anls e'veg Norm-l Nutrient Status Found__ Range 0w Medium fligb Nitrogen Phosphorus Potassium Suldphur Calcium Magnesium Sodiurm Iron Manganese Zinc Copper Boron Molybdenum Cobalt Selenium

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(pig/g) 4Lg/g) (11g/9) (R9g/g) 4.2 35 4.1 .36 1.09 .30 .25 124 64 76 15 21 1.30 .20 .73 4.0 .35 2.5-3.0 30 .45 -1.00 ,20-.25 .15-.25 100-250 40- 150 30-50 9-12 10-15 .50 -2.00 .10 15 .05 I 1 ftoo.0 Otfto f .t f.

.1 J Aspects of the present invention have been described by way of cxample only and It should be appreciated that modifications and additions made be made thereto without department from the scope thereof us defined in the appended claims.

This application is divided frome our copending application 65839/94 and the entire disclosure in the complete specification and claims of that application is by this cross-reference incorporated into the present specification.

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Claims (5)

16. A growing strip having incorporated therein a solution according to either of the above claims together with seeds thereby enabling the germination and growing of said seeds having associated therewith the required nutrients for growth.

17. A method of fertilising a substrate using a solid completely soluble fertiliser composition as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 comprising the steps of: testing the substrate for nutrient content, (ii) investigating pH of the substrate (iii) ascertaining the nutrient levei and pH of the substrate and formulating a prescription intended to address the deficiencies/excesses of the nutrients, (iv) mixing the major and minor trace elements in 20 protected form into a powdered substance which will be completely soluble yet non-reactive in solution, transporting the powdered medium to the site for application, (vi) mixing with a liquid to an appropriate dilution, and (vii) applying to the substrate.

18. A composition as claimed in Claim 1 substantially as described herein with reference to any example thereof.

19. A solution as claimed herein substantially as claimed in Claim 14 with regard to any example thereof. A growing strip as claimed in Claim 16 \\melbOl\home$\Chlley\Keep\BJN\6539 .94.doc 25/05/98 rpl 26 substantially as tescribed herein with regard to any example thereof.

21. A method of fertilising a substrate as claimed in Claim 17 substantially as described herein with regard to any example thereof. Dated this 25th day of May 1998 TECHNICAL PATENTS LIMITED By their Patent Attorneys GRIFFITH RACK Fellows institute of Patent Attorneys of Australia D* \\melb~l\home$\Chelley\Keep\BJN\ 65 8 39 .94 .doc 25105/98 I ~~BrCTI171Plni ABSTACT A solid completely soluble fertiliser composition for application to the substrate, said composition being of a predetermined composition and pH comprising at least one major element (as defined herein), at least one trace element (as defined herein), gelling agents and anti hygroscopic protective agents for said elements wherein the amounts of-elements included in the fertiliser composition are specifically prescribed for the substrate and wherein the gelling agents and anti hygroscopic protective agents render all of the elements available to the substrate following application 9. 9 0* 9 t 0* O* H.&SilonsWcp\pVM 94 divtision c29/097 -I flUA R(I1 I101Pl010' fr111Pvii'/Nl q 94/00035l frw VCT/NZ 941000,1510;r CLASSIiAION $U1Il~T MA~rr~ I~-r~r~rp .ii~aa-.-m TO K-it.^Big ~fietja'a^.a^^ A. CLASSIFICATION OF StBJECT MNATTIR int. Cl, 5 COSD 9/02, C05D 1/00, 3/00, 5/00, 9/00, 11/00, C05C 9/00, C05 11/00, COSG 3/02, 3/00, 1/00 According to International Patent Classification (IPC) or to both national classification and IPC B. FIELDS SEARCHED Minimum documentation searched (classification system followed by classification symbols) Int. Cl. 5 C05D 1/00, 3/00, 5/00, 9/00, 9/02, 11/00; C05F 11/00; C05G 1/00, 3/00, 3/02, C05H 1/04, 1/06, 3/04, 3/02, 15/02, 15/06, 19/00, 1/08, 3/06, 5/09, 11/04, 13/00, C07H 23/00, 11/00, 11/04 Documentation searched other than minimum documentation to the extent that such documents are included in tile fields searched Electronic data base consulted during the international search (name of data base, and where practicable, search terms used) DERWENT C. DOCUMENTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELEVANT Category Citation of document, with indication, where appropriate, of the relevant passages Relevant to Claim No. X EP,A, 274851 (HARVEST CHEMICALS (PROPRIETARY) LIMITED) 20 July 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 1988 (20.07.88). Entire document. X Patent Abstracts of Japan, C949, page 134, JP,A, 04-059614 (AKIYAMA 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 YULIGEN) 26 February 1992 (26.02.92). X US,A, 5104436 (LAUDERDALE, C H et al) 14 April 1992 (14.04.92). Entire 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 document. S Further documents are listed X See patent family annex. in the continuation of Box C. Special categories of cited documents later document published after the international filing date or priority date and not in conflict document definin the eneral state of the art which is with the application but cited to understand the not considered to be o particular relevance principle or theory underlying the invention earlier document but published on or after the aocumert of particular relevance; the claimed internationai filing date invention cannot be considered novel or cannot be document which may throw doubts on priority claim(s) considered to involve an inventive step when the or which is cited to establish the publication date of document is taken alone another citation or other special reason (as specified) document of particular relevance; the claimed document referring to an oral disclosure, use, invention cannot be considered to involve an exhibition or other means inventive step when the document is combined document published prior to the international filing date with one or more other such documents, such but later than the priority date claimed combination being obvious to a person skilled in the art document member of the same patent family Date of the actual completion of the international search Date of mailing of the international search report September 1994 (15.09.94) 27 s5P7m7-l6 C2 09. 4) Name and mailing address of the ISA/AU Authorized officer AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRIAL PROPERTY ORGANISATION PO BOX 200 WODEN ACT 2606 AUSTRALIA SR IDRUS Facsimile No. 06 2853929 Telephone No. (0 2832536 Form PCT/ISA/210 (continuation of first sheet (July 1992) copbko -1 C~~ I N'iil~RNA'V'10Ni AIl('1 RPI'ORT PCT/NZ 941003$ C(Continuatlon). DOCUME NTS CONSIDERED TO BE RELE VANT Category 4 x x x x x x x x x x Citation of doculment s with Indication, where appropriate of the relevant passages Rteleva~nt to Claim No. AU,B, 58959/73 (48-1053), (STANDARD TELEPHONES AND CABLES PTY LIMITED) 6 February 1975 (06.02.75). Entire document, AU,B, 47440/79 (521668), (IMPERIAL CHEMICALS INDUSTRIES LIMITED) 6 December 1979 (06.12.79). Entire document. AU,A, 73677/91 (ALLIED COLLOIDS LIMITED) 3 October 1991 (03.10.91). Entire document. Patent Abstracts of Japan C832, page 107, JP,A, 3-50 175 (KAZUYOSHI HAGIWARA) 4 March 1991 (04.03.9 1). Patent Abstracts of Japan C589, page 116, JP,A, 1-546U (SAN EI CHEM IND LTD) 10 January 1989 (10.01.89). AU,A, 83900/82 (DENRYOKU CHUO KENKYUSHO AND SHIGEN KYOKAI) November 1992 (25.11.92). Entire document. EP,A, 374125 (BRIGL BERGMEISTER PAPIERFABRIK GESELLSCHAFT MBH) 20 June 1990 (20.06.90). Entire document, AU,A, 70806/87 (FISONS PLC) 24. September 1987 (24.09.87). Entire document. AU,A, 13548/92 (GRACE SIERRA HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS COMPANY) 20 August 1992 (20.08.92). Entire document. US,A, 4505732 (CHEMISCHE WERKE HULS AG) 19 March 1985 (19.03.85). Entire document. 1, 3, 6,7, 8 1, 3, 4,7, 8 1, 2, 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 8 1 and 8 1,3, 4,7, 8 1, 3 1, 8 Form PCTIISAJ210 (continuation of second sheet)(July 1992) copbko 1 WrFAWLATIONAT, 41AR11~ Rl'110 lwi tiolitowil oplppgtIjun No: *ri~iiino poto Arhl~~y mobr VCTI/NZ M4OMS3 This Annex lists the known publication level patent family members relating to the patent documents cited in the above-mentioned inte'rnational search report. The Australian Patent Office is in. no way liable for these particulars which are mierely given for the purpose of information. Patent Document Cited in Search Patent Family Member Report EP 274851 DE 3780797 EP 274851 ES 2043671 ZA 8709051 AU 16652/88 us 5104436 CA 2002507 US 51034436 AU 58959/73 AU 58959/73 ES 417794 GB 1399726 IP 49041121 AU 47440/79 AR 220197 AU 47440/79 BR. 7903366 CA 1136593 DE 2961100 EP 6294 GB 2028785 GR 70698 HK 155/83 IE 48237 IN 152139 JP 54157375 MX 6919 NO 791723 NZ 190578 PH 16194 PT 69697 ZA 7902484 AU 73677/91 AU 73677/91 CA 2038886 EP 448373 GB 9006606 US 5099049 ZA 9102195 AU 83900/82 AU 83900/82 CA 1178817 JP 57191290 us 4486217 EP 374125 AT 3075/88 EP 374125 AU 70806/87 EP 259427 GB 8605946 PT 84446 WO 8705464 AU 13548/92 AU 13548/92 CA 2101554 EP 569513 WO 9213813 US 5171349 us 4505732 AT 12384 DD 210449 DE 3136164 EP 75352 US 4505732 END OF ANNEX Form PCTIISAJ2IO(patent family annex)(July 1992) copbko