DE112004002657T5 - Odor absorbing materials - Google Patents

Abstract

odor absorbent Material containing hydrophilic plant parts or hydrophilic extracts of contains such the plants of the group of olive, vine, and pine plants belong, which is further hydrophilic and contains polyphenol compounds which selected are from the group of (A) flavonoids, preferably the (A1) flavanols, even more preferred (A1a) catechin, (A1b) epicatechin, (A1c) epigallocatechin, and (A1d) epicatechin gallate, (A1e) epigallocatechin gallate, and the (A2) flavonols, more preferably (A2a) anthocyanidin and (A2b) proanthocyanidin, and (B) oleuropeins, characterized in that the content of the polyphenolic compounds of group (A) preferably at least 60% by weight, more preferably at least 70% by weight, and more preferably at least 80% by weight, and the content of the polyphenolic compounds (B) is preferably at least 15% by weight, where all percentages are on a dry basis, and in that it is pharmacologically less than about 4% by weight (on a dry basis) contains active substances, preferably less than 1% by weight. being the pharmacologically active Substance is caffeine.

Description

The Invention relates to odor absorbing materials the unpleasant odors can reduce especially for use with hygiene articles and materials that used in it, such as absorbent and / or superabsorbent or railway materials.

unpleasant Smell is an old human problem, and generally refers to to safe Substances (or substances that are present in a harmless concentration), which are perceived as unpleasant, embarrassing, or disturbing. To this To improve, one can use "odor control". This refers generally referring to the elimination of (foul-smelling) substances as well as avoiding the emergence of such. odor reduction may also include the use of odors, such as deck perfumes or perfumes as such.

odor is a subjective human sensation and therefore is odor reduction also most important in the human environment. While industrial Applications (such as emissions or emissions) odor reduction is mostly in the human environment carried out and therefor been described, so in the household cleaning, personal hygiene or in the context of animals, such as cat or animal litter or Manure treatment.

There odors often through molecules transferred in the gas phase is also the removal of such from the air by odor absorbing materials been treated. This can be achieved by solids that a big surface such as interior pores, own and the property have, on these surfaces can adsorb the odor components. Examples of such Substances are wood or activated carbon, zeolites, bentonites, cationic Polysaccharides (such as chitosan) and so on, see also EP-A-0510 619 [Majors], US Patent 5,306,487 [Karapasha], WO 91/11977 [Furio], WO 81/01643 [Dodwell], or WO 96/06589 [Schoene].

odor components can also by liquids in scrubbers be removed or it can liquid bromine-containing substances or cyclodextrins are used, see also US Pat. No. 5,429,628 [Trinh]. Odor reduction can still be achieved in which the odor components undergo a chemical reaction, like a chemical bond or decomposition to less unpleasant smelling components. Such approaches can use Chlatratbildner such as aminocarboxylates (see U.S. Patent No. 4,356,190 [Kraskin]) or U.S. Pat Buffer systems as by the use of citric acid and Sodium bicarbonate (see, for example, WO 94/25077 [Guarracino]).

odor Materials can continue with top perfume or fragrances, e.g. for zeolites in WO 94/22500 [Trinh] described.

One important scope of odor control in human Environment is the sanitary area and especially - but not limited to - the intimate hygiene area. In the publication US 2003 / 015700051A1 [Morita] Deodorants are described on The skin can be applied and capable of microorganisms too decompose, causing the formation of unpleasant decomposition products is avoided by sweat. In US Patent 5900258 [Engler], The growth of microorganisms is prevented by zeolites on surfaces in general, on absorbent materials as well as on human Skin are applied.

In In this context, the use of natural substances is well known, as described in connection with a deodorant component with green tea and eucalyptus oil (See US Patent No. 6019963 [Kling]), or with an extract by Indigofera tinctoria in US Patent No. 6548052 [Rosenberg-Nevo]. From the publication EP-A-0911019 [Lance villages] are flavones or flavone derivatives as inhibitors of body odor causing Bacteria for use in deodorants or other topical Applications known.

One Another area of application of odor control is related with human excretions, such as urine, stool, menstrual fluid, Blood, intestinal winds, etc., in addition to the influence of odors on whose producers arrives discretion to other persons. A variety of publications Is available for the areas of baby diapers or feminine hygiene (e.g. EP-A-0348978 [Tanzer] or EP-A-1034800 [Carlucci]), urine collection bags (e.g., WO 00/00110 [D'Acchioli]), tampons (US Pat. No. 6,353,146 [Williams]), or shoe inserts (e.g. U.S. Patent 4,864,740 [Oakley]). The reduction of animal caused odors is known from US Pat. No. 6,207,143 [Lezey] or US Pat 4840792 [Joulain] known from pet litter.

Specific approaches combine odor reducing materials with materials having other functionality, such as liquid-absorbing materials, see US Patent No. 5,595,731 to Valliers, in which superabsorbent materials are used with natural substances to soak up blood when cleaning operating rooms. From US Patent 6025287 [Herrmann], are Green tea extracts known as an additive to foamed shoe soles. Commercially available are superabsorbent materials with odor reducing additives, for example from ATOCHEM, France, (with bromine additives), Nippon Shokubai, Japan, (with extracts from Camellia Sinensis [ie tea] - see also US Appl. 2002 0061798A1, or JP 02041155 A , publ. Feb. 9, 1990), and Degussa Stockhausen, Germany (with cyclodextrin addition).

Indeed fulfill the described odor absorbing materials as such also their application in the hygiene sector not all of the desired Properties that are put to an effective system.

So It is a first object of the present invention, a particular to provide effective odor absorbing material which is versatile, in particular by the property, to be able to absorb various odor components, and which in addition is in hydrophilic form. Furthermore, the material should be effective especially because the highly effective components are highly concentrated and are also directly available commercially. Preferably should be in addition the emergence of odors be counteracted by microorganisms or this avoided become. Furthermore, the material should preferably be safe in the Use in the human area, and no pharmacological Have effect.

These Task is achieved by odor absorbing material, which hydrophilic plant parts or hydrophilic extracts thereof, wherein the plants belong to the group of olive, vine and pine plants. In another embodiment contains a suitable hydrophilic material polyphenol compounds from the group the (A) flavonoids, preferably the (A1) flavanols, more preferably (A1a) catechin, (A1b) epicatechin, (A1c) epigallocatechin, and (A1d) Epicatechin gallate, (A1e) epigallocatechin gallate, and (A2) flavonol, even more preferably (A2a) anthocyanidin and (A2b) proanthocyanidin, and (B) oleuropeins. The content of the polyphenolic compounds is the group (A) preferably at least 60 wt .-%, preferably at least 70% by weight, and more preferably at least 80% by weight, and the content the polyphenolic compounds (B) preferably at least 15 Wt .-% is. A suitable odor absorbing material which polyphenol compounds of groups (A) containing flavonoids or (B) oleuropeins still contains less than about 4% by weight of pharmacologically active substances, preferably Caffeine, preferably less than 1% by weight.

A second object of the present invention is to odor-absorbing Combine materials with other materials, so with one Material for handling liquids, preferably a liquid-absorbent Material, and more preferably a superabsorbent material, or with a sheet material, preferably a polymeric sheet material or a fiber web material, preferably the odor absorbing Material in a proportion of at least 0.1 wt .-%, more preferably of at least 1.0% by weight, is used.

A Another object of the present invention is to hygiene articles to provide the one or more of the above materials include. In a preferred embodiment, the hygiene article breathable, and it may still contain perfume or fragrance.

odor control

Even though the removal of certain components from gases also in industrial Range as used in the exhaust or emission control finds Odor control mostly in the human environment instead of how for example, in the household cleaning, personal hygiene, or by animals caused odors as in the use of cat litter, or manure utilization. The term "odor absorption", which is also often synonymous used with "odor reduction" refers on mechanisms of action that reduce the effect of foul-smelling odors, as they are called by people as unpleasant, embarrassing, disturbing or disgusting be felt. It can gas molecules to outer or inner surfaces of solids or in liquids adsorbed. Likewise smelling compounds are chemically bound and so from a Carrier, like air, be removed.

Of the Expression "odor control" includes both the mechanisms of odor absorption, but also the avoidance of Origin of odors as well as other mechanisms, such as the chemical reaction of a decomposition to no or less smelling compounds, or even the covering from bad smells by perceived as pleasant odors, such as in the Application of perfume.

Odorous compounds that reach the nose through the air as a carrier can be removed from this carrier either at the source of the odor, or near the nose, such as when wearing face masks. Such compounds can be removed by physical or chemical treatment. Gaseous odor components can be trapped on solid surfaces (adsorption) or in liquids (gas washer). If the odor components are contained in solid particles or in droplets, this can be intercepted by filters, for example.

One second factor in odor control refers to reducing the emergence of bad smells. As many by microorganisms generated odors classified as unpleasant, has an area of odor control on it Concentrated, to avoid microorganisms like organic molecules for example in sweat or Containing urine are decomposing, thereby releasing foul odors.

One Another approach to the control of odors in the human hygiene sector is the covering the odors for example through perfume. In this context, the term perfume refers to additives, give off certain fragrances that are generally considered to be pleasant. If necessary, the fragrance can only be released under certain conditions be such as temperature or pressure changes, fluid contact and so on.

Odor-absorbing materials

odor Materials should meet a number of requirements or characteristics. One important aspect is the effectiveness with respect to the absorption of various types Components. This effectiveness So refers to a broad functionality for different odor components. So, an effective material should reduce odors that both from urine, stool, sweat, like also menstrual fluid, etc., can come. Many known materials are for a particular application have been improved, such as odor reduction either in sweat or in urine or stool. Accordingly, also standardized Tests designed to target certain odor molecules under certain conditions to reduce.

So are used e.g. in the method ASTM International E544-99 1600 ppm Trimethylamine (TMA) used in a 0.9 wt .-% saline and the fraction determined after two or 7 hours at 38 ° C by headspace analysis. This test aims at the effectiveness of typical urine components. Analogously, e.g. Skatole in tests for odor determination and / or reduction used to stink stools to simulate. Accordingly, with the help of such specific Methods also developed materials that have quite specific absorption properties for just possess the specific components. Without the invention through the following explanation should be limited, it can be assumed that the well-known odor reducer on the basis of cyclodextrin work by that they Odor molecules within of the cyclodextrin molecule trap sterically so that they are quite specific to the size of the odor molecules are. If these odor molecules bigger or smaller than the space within the cyclodextrin molecule is the effectiveness reduced. In addition to greater flexibility in terms on the molecular size, can the effectiveness an odor-absorbing material can be improved if different Absorption mechanisms act simultaneously, such as when Clathration together with covalent or ionic chemical Binding is used.

The odor-absorbing materials should also be efficient, taking in the present invention, good odor reducing Properties per amount of the substance used. This is Naturally partially associated with the just discussed effectiveness, for example a material like cyclodextrin works mainly for a certain molecular size, and so odor molecules another size either does not hold back, or at least much worse, because only secondary effects such as light bonds on the surface of the cyclodextrin molecule Act. However, the efficiency becomes much more through the concentration The effective components, if determined in a carrier material are included. This aspect is especially important when looking at natural products based materials, since these are generally not chemically "pure" compounds. So it is known, for example, that green tea quite effective connections contains namely Polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate, often in a concentration of 50% by weight (on a dry basis of the leaves), but generally less than 60% by weight.

Beyond the odor-binding properties, it may be advantageous if the odor-absorbing materials also have other odor-controlling properties, and in particular if they avoid the formation of malodorous substances. Since such are often released by microorganisms, it may therefore be advantageous if the odor-reducing materials are also antimicrobially effective. Antimicrobial efficacy can be determined by a variety of routes and methods, here it refers to the methods as published in the 4th edition of "Pharmacopoeiae European" (Ph. Eur.) Using a loading ratio of 1: 100. The microbial efficacy may be determined from Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, or Staphylococcus aureus, and there should be a bacterial count below the threshold after both 48 hours and 7 days. Similarly, the fungicidal activity can be determined by the mentioned method using Candida albican, or Asperigillus niger. Further antimicrobial effects can be attributed to Deactivation, ligation, or denaturing of proteins or enzymes.

There the use of odor-absorbing materials in general In the human environment, these should be safe for the people and the environment. It is generally accepted that for certain Substances "unsafe" concentrations exist (i.e., people will be exposed to such concentrations generally classified as unacceptable), but below such concentrations are followed by an area in which less is judged to be better (i.e., an area in which people are affected) can, however, to an acceptable extent), or an effect-free Area, of course the demarcation of the individual areas and especially of the last both often Give rise to discussions. If it is also essentially toxic Effects, the different areas apply as well too for pharmacological or physiological effects of the substances on humans, so by oral administration, or when administered via the skin or respiratory tract. there can the effects desired so be on medication, but often it is preferred that no pharmacological effects are generated. An example of a substance which has quite a pharmacological effect, is like caffeine it is contained in coffee or tea plants, as well as in it produced extracts, and which the human cardiac system influenced, both by oral use as well as by skin contact.

There Odor-absorbing materials often in combination with others Materials are used, there is another requirement concerning theirs Influence on the functionality of these other materials. Especially in the field of hygiene applications such materials are liquid-absorbent Materials containing liquids record and often withhold should. Often are such liquids aqueous, like most human excretions like urine, sweat or menstrual fluid. To the liquid transport or the retention capacity is not It is often preferred that the odor-absorbing Materials are hydrophilic. Especially when based on natural substances Materials can corresponding substances by aqueous extraction whereby extraction aids such as e.g. Ethanol used can be. The extracts can then in liquid Form are left, whereby it also concentrated by dehydration can be for example by evaporation, preferably under mild conditions, or Reverse osmosis, and so on. Organic substances such as leaves could also essentially unprocessed - what generally with leaves dried and crushed means - to be used.

in this connection the term "dry" refers to materials, that feel "dry", and containing not more than 20% by weight of water or moisture, preferably less than 10% by weight, or which are "substantially dry" with less as about 1 wt .-% water content. With such materials, the composition becomes in general " Dry basis ", ie on an anhydrous basis, indicated for example by use a desiccator, or by careful heating such as oven drying for 3 hours determined at 110 ° C. can be. For natural substances can even lower temperatures may be beneficial.

In Considering the big industrial ones Application of odor absorbing materials should be preferred also in sufficiently large quantities available stand. If such materials on natural materials - such as Example plants - based are, are the functioning as odor absorbers substances usually not in a pure form. For economic reasons can It may be beneficial to use the most effective components of natural products to use in pure form. "Pure" refers to in this connection, to a mixture containing more than 50% by weight, preferably more as 80 wt .-%, or more preferably more than 90 wt .-% of odor-absorbing Components exists. These components can be made from uniform chemical molecules consist, or from different, if all an odor-absorbing function have. The term "pure" also includes "essentially free from other substances ", so if a chemical compound has only traces of "impurities", ie if the "other substances" are not more than 5 Wt .-%, preferably not more than 1 wt .-% make up, but often also not more than 1 part per million (ppm), all percentages apply on a dry basis.

materials or substances for The present invention can be used with other functions fulfill, which they use in applications outside useful in the present invention as in the pharmaceutical, nutritional or beverage sectors with oral application, or in the cosmetic area with skin applications.

Special odor absorbing materials

While a variety of materials meeting one or more of the requirements described above are known, a group of materials has now been identified that meet most, if not all, of these requirements. In particular, a group of plants has high concentrations of useful components, in particular olives (Oleae folia - Oleo europaea), wine (especially vitis vinifera), or pines (especially pinus maritime), and thereby especially certain parts of these, such as leaves (especially in olives and wine), cores (especially in wine) or bark (especially in pine trees). Thus, one aspect of the present invention relates to hydrophilic parts or hydrophilic extracts of parts of such plants as odor absorbing material.

These Plants or their parts have a relatively high concentration on certain compounds that are particularly effective as odor-absorbing Material and belong to the group of polyphenols. Often, such Substances are also referred to as tannins, but more specifically, these include Substances for the compounds or compound groups of the flavonoids, especially the flavanols (flavan-3-ol), such as catechin, epikatechin, epigallocatechin, Epikatechingallat, epigallocatechin gallate, or the flavonols (flavon-3-ol) as (Pro-) anthocyanidin, or the oleuropein. Generally have Such compounds have molecular weights of over 200 daltons, often over 400 Dalton.

One Another aspect of the present invention thus relates to odor-absorbing materials containing high levels of the substances mentioned, namely at least 60% by weight of flavonoids or preferably at least 15% % By weight of oleuropeins, each on a dry basis. Preferably that is odor-absorbing material is a pure substance with more than 80 wt .-%, and more preferably more than 90% by weight of flavonoids and / or oleuropeins. The odor absorbing material may also be "substantially free of other substances".

suitable Materials are commercially available as a food additive Frutarom AG, Wädenswil, Switzerland, under the article name Vitis vinif. fol. extra.a.siccum, Article No. 0085945 (vine leaf extract) with a polyphenol content of up to 60% by weight, or europ. fol. extr.s.siccum, article no. 0085947 (Olive leaf extract) with an oleouropein content of at least 18% by weight.

One method of obtaining suitable high polyphenol content extracts from grapes is described in US Pat. No. 6,238,673 [Howard]. The production of (pr) anthocyanidin from plants of the family of Vitaceae or Ericaceae for applications in pharmacy or nutrition is described in US Pat. No. 6,210,681 to Walker. In JP 2002 128678 [Shuichi] the preparation of highly concentrated oleuropanes is described starting from olive leaves and according to US Pat. No. 6,197,388 [Crea] a hydrophilic extract of olive kernels can be produced. Biotechnological methods (gene modifications) are described in the publication US Appl. 2003 0101477 [Colliver] to increase the flavonol content in plants. Alternatively, the corresponding substances can of course also be produced synthetically.

In a preferred embodiment the materials are in the form of a fine powder with an average Particle diameter of between 50 microns and 200 microns, as by known methods how careful screening can be determined. When the substances are present as a powder, the particle size fraction below 45 μm is preferably minimized, around unwanted Avoid dust formation, preferably less than 5% by weight thereof.

Without that the invention will be limited by the following explanation should, flavonoids or oleuropeins seem particularly favorable as well synergistic functionality to exhibit odor absorption. For the first one probably allows the special chemical structure of carbon ring systems interactions with similar Systems, especially with hydrophobic substances, such as skatoles (3-methylindole) used for Faecal odors are typical. Second, you can The substances form relatively stable radicals and ions through mesomeric Stabilization of radicals and charged molecules, which then continue to reduce or undergo oxidation reactions and ionic bonds or neutralization. Furthermore you can these substances form covalent ester bonds, the hydroxyl or Carboxyl groups with other molecules form adducts. in addition, can the hydroxyl or carboxyl groups hydrogen bonds to other hydroxyl or form carboxyl groups. Another important mechanism is due to the formation of clathrates, i. the steric inclusion of odor molecules in a shell of several molecules the odor-absorbing substance. In contrast to this Klathratbildungsmechanismus stands the e.g. occurring in the cyclodextrin, in which one of these molecules is an odor molecule of a certain size. Finally, the odor-absorbing substances proteins and enzymes, and so too Cell membranes, disable or denature, and thus have a good anti-microbial efficacy.

The above-described materials of the present invention, and more particularly the plant materials or extracts thereof, preferably do not contain pharmacologically active compounds, as opposed to, for example, conventional green tea extracts, which may contain substantial levels of caffeine, which has an effect on the cardiac system. Since this effect can also occur in cutaneous application, its absence is a particular advantage in the application of such materials in the hygiene sector, which is known human tissue or skin may possibly come into contact with the materials. A particular approach to modify green tea extracts for pharmaceutical, nutritional or cosmetic applications is described in US Pat. No. 6,210,679 to Bailey, which reduces caffeine content and increases catechin content.

applications in the hygiene area

In In a specific aspect, the present invention relates to Hygienic applications, such as materials, for cleaning surgical rooms can be used (as described above), but also in the hygienic packaging of Foods as generally described in WO 98/01299 [Jonas], but especially on hygiene products. In connection with the present The invention relates to "sanitary articles" on articles that on the body of a carrier or near be worn, and preferably direct contact with the carrier or have his skin. The wearer is often, but not necessarily a human.

Hygiene products can fluid absorbent so that body fluids can be recorded by the article itself. In this context The term "body fluids" includes urine, blood, vaginal Excretions, sweat, or faeces, but not limited thereto to be. So belong to the absorbent hygiene articles baby diapers, so-called training pants, adult incontinence undergarments, Feminine hygiene items, nursing pads, shoe inserts, underarm sweat pads, Stoma bags, bandages, bandages, Hygiene Wipes, Bib, Operation covers or smocks and so on. Hygiene products can also not fluid-absorbing be, for example if a liquid-absorbing part on the carrier a non-absorbent part, e.g. an elastic net panties, held becomes.

Hygiene products can Be disposable items, i. that they are not for washing after use or another return Use as a hygiene article are provided, or that they are after use in environmentally friendly Thrown away, disposed of, composted or otherwise recycle supplied become.

modern Hygiene products can be quite complex, as it is in a variety of publications is documented. excellent Designs are described in U.S. Pat. Patent No. 3860003; U.S. Patent No. 5151092, U.S. Pat. Patent No. 5221274; or U.S. Patent No. 5554145; U.S. Patent No. 5,569,234th

Odor-absorbing materials and hygiene applications

The Use of materials according to the invention in hygienic applications is particularly preferred when the materials not just smells of various origins, such as urine, faeces, blood or sweat can, but also have an anti-microbial effect that decomposes the Excretions too bad reduce or even prevent odorous substances.

there can distributes the odor absorbing materials throughout the article or they are only used in certain parts of it. In a particular design, the "fluid application zone" is the area in which the excretions are introduced into the article, essentially free of odor-absorbing materials, as the odor-reducing Effect of this can be reduced, if this by the delivered Overloading liquids become. In other special designs, the odor-absorbing Materials in regions with high air exchange rate from the Article be arranged out, so. in the area of the cover film, the drenching the outer clothing prevent the wearer should, or the cover layers, so the carrier surface facing, or the areas around the abdominal or leg openings of the article during its Use.

It It has now been found that odor absorption is particularly advantageous can be used in the so-called breathable articles, So with hygiene articles, the air access to the through the article Covered skin of the wearer enable. As a result of this ventilation can Odors are released to the environment. Therefore it is one particularly preferred embodiment of present invention, odor absorbing materials in breathable To use hygiene articles. Breathability is often achieved through materials, the air permeable are, or by convective air flow through the article itself or through the space between the article and the carrier. For diapers For example, such breathable designs are described in WO 00/10948 [Faulks], WO 01/97734 [Sprengard-Eichel], or US Pat 6454749 [Lau]. For Women's hygiene products, such as bandages or so-called "panty liners" are appropriate Designs described in EP-A-1034800 [Carlucci], or US Patent No. 6432096 [McFall].

Odor-absorbing materials may also be used in tampon-shaped feminine hygiene articles such as described in US Pat. No. 3,674,030 [Jones] or US Pat. No. 6,353,146 [Williams]. In this together The odor-absorbing materials according to the present invention can be used particularly advantageously if they have no pharmacological effect, since tampons are often worn for a long time in direct contact with sensitive body tissue. In this case, pharmacologically active substances, such as, for example, the caffeine contained in green tea extracts, could be transferred into the body tissue.

Odor-absorbing materials according to the present invention can also be used to great advantage in other blood-contact applications, such as wound dressings such as in US Appl. 2001/0026810 [McGhee], or also for cleaning operating rooms, as described in US Patent 5595731 [Valliers]. Further examples of the use of the materials according to the invention are shoe inserts, as in the US patents US4864740 [Oakley] or US6025587 [Hermann] described. Since the occluded conditions in shoes often create a relatively humid atmosphere, the combination of the odor absorbing materials with liquid absorbent is particularly advantageous here. It should be noted that sanitary articles according to the present invention also cover the application in animals as in humans. Therefore, a diaper for birds as described in US Pat. No. 5,934,226 also falls within the scope of the present invention, as well as materials intended for the direct uptake of animal excreta, such as cat litter, as described in US Pat. No. 6,207,143 [Lezdey].

odor Materials in combination with materials of a different functionality

odor Materials can be beneficial be combined with other materials that have a different functionality than the possess the odor absorption. Preferably, while the odor-absorbing materials the function of the other material no over worsen the "dilution effect" addition. Such a different functionality may be a termination or capping function, or another mechanical functionality, the common be met by "railway materials" can. "Railway materials" include film or film-like materials, network structures or textile fabrics, Knitted or non-woven fabrics and so on. A "non-woven" material has the Structure of individual fibers deposited in a matrix, without creating a recognizable regular pattern, and can produced by a variety of manufacturing processes that the expert, for example, as a random web, meltblown, carding process, wet or air deposition process are known. In the broader meaning including paper-like materials, so in general wet or dry laid fibrous structures, as long as they contain Fibers are sufficiently interconnected to each other during the normal use.

The non-odor absorbing functionality of the other material can also dealing with liquids be. Thus, a preferred embodiment of the present invention relates Invention the combination of odor absorbing materials with materials containing liquids can absorb, distribute and preferentially withhold, whereby the liquids mostly watery are. The liquid can held in the materials themselves, such as the Liquid, contained within cellulose fibers or in superabsorbents is, or the liquid can be in intermediate or gusset rooms be contained or flow through it, so in the pores of a Cotton fleece or a foam. Suitable absorbent fibers can Cellulose fibers, deposited as a loose fiber pad, or as a suction paper or cardboard. The cellulose may also have been modified, such as by chemical treatment, crosslinking, or stiffening. Likewise, too synthetic fibers used, for example, of cellulose acetate, Acrylates, polythene, Polypropylene, polyamides or polyesters can exist. It can Be used fiber amount, or bi- or multi-component fibers. The fiber surface is advantageously hydrophilic per se or by a hydrophilization treatment.

While the Materials for handling liquids can be designed to liquids both to record, as well as to distribute and at the same time restrain Many modern materials are optimized for a specific functionality, and combined with other materials to cover the entire requirement profile. So can For example, materials with a more open structure are used for fluid intake be, and can with materials with a moderately open structure for liquid distribution be combined. additionally can still special liquid-retaining Materials are used, such. higher compressed cellulose structures.

A particularly preferred form of these fluid retention materials, or even liquid absorbent materials, includes superabsorbent materials, also commonly referred to as "hydrogels,""absorbent gel materials,""hydrocolloidmaterial," or "superabsorbents." These materials, when in contact with aqueous fluids - such as body fluids - ingest this or the water contained therein, and form Hydrogels. These superabsorbent materials can typically hold large quantities of aqueous liquids and can even retain them under moderate pressure. Typically, the superabsorbents are discrete, non-fibrous particles, although other shapes, such as fibers, foams, sheets, strips, or other particulate macrostructures may be employed. Suitable superabsorbents in open-pore foamed form are described, for example, in the US patents US3563243 [Lindquist] US4554297 [Dabi] US4740528 [Garvey], or US5260345 [DesMarais et al.].

Suitable superabsorbents may include a substantially water insoluble, low crosslinked, partially neutralized polymeric gel material which upon contact with water forms a hydrogel. Suitable superabsorbents are described, for example, in US Pat. No. US-A-32649 [Brandt], US5562646 [Goldman] US5599335 [Goldman], or US5669894 [Goldman]. Superabsorbents can be used in sanitary articles particularly preferably in high concentrations in the liquid-retaining core region, if they have one according to the method in US Pat. 5599335 have a certain high salt flux conductivity value (SFC), preferably more than 30 × 10 ^-7 cm ³ sec / g, and in the case of homogeneous mixing with ordinary pulp fluff, concentrations of more than 50% by weight, better of more than 80% by weight .-%, and more preferably more than 90 wt .-% of superabsorbent based on the superabsorbent / pulp fluff mixtures. Suitable batch can densities between 0.1 g / cm ³ and 0.3 g / cm ^3, preferably between 0.15 g / cm cm ^3, in each case under a slight pressure of about 1 kPa ³ and 0.2 g / measured , The total fluid receiving capacity of the fluid absorbent material in a personal care article should be adapted to the design capacity and corresponding application of the article, and can be adapted over a wide range to cover a variety of applications from low fluid loading to high fluid loading. Suitable methods for adapting the liquid absorption capacity to the field of application are described, for example, in EP-A-1051958 [Lankhof], EP-A-0797968 [Herrlein] and EP-A-0774242 [Palumbo].

The Odor-absorbing material can be mixed with the materials of other functionality in any way and be combined as long as this does not have the characteristics material significantly deteriorates, as e.g. by excessive heating, washing out done with water, or prolonged exposure to moisture would. Suitable hydrophilic or aqueous Plant extracts can as such directly sprayed or dried and crushed plant parts can be as such directly in known manner with other bulk materials, e.g. superabsorbents or loose fibers, dry blended. Such plant parts can also slurried in a suspension, which then the other material, e.g. a textile fabric or a paper, added can be.

The Of course, the amount of odor-absorbing materials used depends on the special material and distribution of this in other materials from. It has been found that an odor absorbing material, which is homogeneous under a bulk material, how a superabsorbent material is distributed, in one use of 0.1% by weight of dry base already marked odor-reducing Effect shows. In similar The material may be sprayed onto a web material such as a nonwoven fabric and then dried and also be used at 0.1 wt .-% dry basis. Especially if the odor-absorbing materials are not evenly distributed used, it may be advantageous to use these in higher concentrations of 1.0 wt .-% or more, this concentration being based on the average concentration in the application area or the entry volume refers.

A further preferred embodiment relates on the combination of odor absorbing materials of the invention with perfumes. So, surprisingly found out that the odor-absorbing materials in sanitary articles not suppress the scent of added perfume, but apparently synergistically with this, especially when the odor-absorbing material and the perfume at different Positions in the article are appropriate. It is preferably the odor absorbing Material closer positioned at the source of the stench, being "closer" to a path refers to the vehicle the stink, so e.g. an airflow follows. This effect can even stronger when the fragrance components are released after activation as is the case with the use of microcapsules e.g. a change of Condition of humidity, pressure or temperature can generate. Without that by the explanation the present invention limited should be, the odor absorbing materials of the invention seem to be despite their wide effectiveness over one huge Range of odor molecules one lower absorption capacity across from the common to possess much more complex and larger perfume molecules.

Summary

The present invention is a hydrophilic one Odor-absorbing material that may consist of plant parts or extracts. A suitable material may include polyphenolic compounds such as flavonoids or oleuropeins. A corresponding material can be combined with materials of other functionality and used eg in hygiene articles.

Claims (7)

An odor-absorbing material containing hydrophilic parts of plants or hydrophilic extracts thereof, the plants belonging to the group of olive, vine and pine plants which is furthermore hydrophilic and contains polyphenol compounds selected from the group of (A) flavonoids, preferably the (A1) flavanols, more preferably (A1a) catechin, (A1b) epicatechin, (A1c) epigallocatechin, and (A1d) epicatechingallate, (A1e) epigallocatechin gallate, and (A2) flavonols, more preferably (A2a) anthocyanidin and (A2b ) Proanthocyanidin, and (B) oleuropeins, characterized in that the content of the polyphenolic compounds of group (A) is preferably at least 60 wt .-%, more preferably at least 70 wt .-%, and more preferably at least 80 wt .-% , and the content of the polyphenolic compounds (B) is preferably at least 15% by weight, all percentages being on a dry basis, and being less contains about 4% by weight (on a dry basis) of pharmacologically active substances, preferably less than 1% by weight. wherein the pharmacologically active substance is caffeine. Material for handling liquids, preferably a liquid absorbent Material and more preferably a superabsorbent material, characterized in that it is an odor absorbing material according to claim 1 contains preferably in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, more preferably of at least 1.0% by weight, each on a dry basis of the combined Materials. Web material, preferably a polymeric film material or a fiber material, characterized in that it is an odor absorbing material according to claim 1 contains preferably in an amount of at least 0.1% by weight, more preferably of at least 1.0% by weight, each on the dry basis of the combined Materials. Hygiene article characterized in that it one or more of the following materials: (i) an odor-absorbing Material according to the claim 1; (ii) a fluid handling material according to the claim 2; (iii) a sheet material according to the claim Third Sanitary article according to claim 4 of the breathable is. Hygiene article according to claim 4 or 5, which additionally fragrances contains. Use of an odor absorbing material according to claim 1 in a hygiene article.