FR2588264A1 - DISINFECTANT COMPOSITION FOR AIRWAY - Google Patents

Abstract

COMPOSITION FOR THE DISINFECTION OF SURFACES BY AIR, CHARACTERIZED IN THAT IT CONTAINS AS ACTIVE INGREDIENTS, ON THE ONE HAND, A METHYL-ISOPROPYLPHENOL AND, ON THE OTHER HAND, AN ALKYL ETHER OF GLYCOL, AND IN THAT SUCH CONSTITUENTS IN SOLUTION IN WATER.

Description

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  The present invention relates to novel compositions intended to be used for disinfecting surfaces by

airway.

  Such compositions are known in principle and currently used in various aerosol generating devices such as those described by the Applicant in its French patents 1,568,295, 75.02188, 75.18474, 76.36270 and

77.12479.

  Until now, the compositions of this kind essentially contained formaldehyde as active ingredient, the other constituents appearing in these compositions having only a subsidiary role, their proportion being insufficient for them

  exercise their own action, at least to an appreciable degree.

  The recent developments in studies on the dangers presented by formaldehyde in various medical fields have prompted the Applicant to seek a new composition in which formaldehyde would no longer appear, but which would however

  satisfactory disinfecting activity, if not better still.

  The Applicant's research therefore led her to the surprising observation that such a result could be achieved by means of the combination, in determined proportions of several components, known in themselves, but which did not have

  individually the qualities required for this job.

  The first component of the compositions according to the invention is chosen from the class of methyl-isopropylphenols, such as

  5-methyl-2-isopropyl-phenol, or m-thymol, 2-methyl-5-

  isopropyl-phenol, or carvacrol (or iso-thymol), or their chlorinated derivatives. The preferred member of this group is m-thymol, and one

  will be referred to in the following under the name of "thymol".

  The second component of the compositions according to the invention is chosen from the class of alkyl ethers of glycols, such as mono-butyl ether of ethylene glycol or ethyl ether of diethylene glycol. The preferred member of this group is the mono-butyl ether of ethylene glycol, well known under the trademark "Butyl Cellosolve" and will be referred to in

  hereinafter under the simplified name of "butylglycol".

  The third component of the compositions according to the invention

is water.

  If we now consider each of these three components, we are led to the following observations: Thymol has been known for a very long time as a product of natural origin as a sanitizing agent, for its

  destructive action on molds and plant pests.

  In this regard, it has been proposed in pharmacies as an ointment and in alcoholic solution as a contact disinfectant. Since it is not soluble in water, no preparation for disinfection by air contains only thymol as

  essential ingredient has not been proposed until today.

  Butylglycol is also known, but only as a solvent, without any bactericidal activity being reported. Its role in the compositions according to the invention is multiple: - Firstly, it has the effect of dissolving thymol;

  - Second, experience has shown that it has in itself-

  even a certain bactericidal activity, moreover quite weak; - Third, experience has surprisingly shown that this bactericidal activity is very markedly increased

by the presence of thymol.

  Finally, water is essential for the compositions according to the invention, to allow the aerosol forming apparatus to diffuse a solution, in the form of particles sufficiently fine to be deposited extremely slowly, in particular on the upper zones of the partitions, and to cross obstacles

porous, such as blankets.

  The presence of the appropriate proportion of water ensures the creation in the room to be disinfected of the relative humidity rate most favorable to the disinfecting action, of the order of at least

-70% at 20 C.

  The relative proportions of the three components in the compositions according to the invention are determined by the respective role of said components: - thymol becomes ineffective below 0-1% in

  weight, and makes the atmosphere difficult to breathe at around 5%.

  In practice, its optimal proportion is around 0.75 to

1%.

  - butylglycol no longer assumes its solubilizing role at-

  below about 5%, and it has an unacceptable pickling action above 30%. In practice its proportion

  optimal is around 20%.

  - water normally represents the complement to 100%.

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  - finally, according to a variant coming within the framework of the invention, part of the butylglycol can be replaced by 2-methyl-2,4-pentanediol (or hexylene glycol), playing at the same time

  the role of co-solvent and stabilizing adjuvant.

  By way of nonlimiting example, a composition coming within the scope of the invention will contain, in% by weight: Thymol 0.75 Butylglycol 20 Hexylene glycol 8 Water (demineralized) 71.25 Such a composition is obtained by cold dissolution thymol in butylglycol, then, after addition of hexylene glycol, introduction of water with stirring. A slightly opalescent colorless liquid of density is obtained

  d20. = 0.9867-0.9877, refractive index n200 = 1.3660 -

  1.3670, keeping without loss of activity for several years. This composition is used as it is in an aerosol generation device such as those mentioned above, at a dose of the order of 20 mlIm3 of air volume to be treated, for approximately 4 hours. An essential advantage of this composition is that it allows the room to be reoccupied after only 30 minutes of ventilation, instead of the well-known difficulties which remain

  after use of the formalin-based compositions.

  Bactericidal efficacy tests, conducted in accordance with French standard T-72-281 on the following strains of microorganisms:

BACTERIAL STRAINS

  - Streptococcus faecalis CNCM 5855; - Staphylococcus aureus - Oxford strain CNCM 53154 - Pseudomonas aeruginosa CNCM A 22;

- Escherichia coli CNCM 54127.

STRAINS OF MOLD

  - Penicilium verrucosum Var - Cyclopium CNCM 1186-79.

YEAST STRAINS

- Candida albicans CNCM 1180-79.

  have led to the observation of a bactericidal activity equal to or greater than 5 on the bacterial and yeast strains, and equal to or greater than 4 on the mold strains

  (activity expressed in decimal Logs).

  The relative humidity of the test room, which must have been at least 60-70 C at the end of the operation, was obtained by diffusion

  of the product itself, thanks to its high water content.

  Experience has shown that the diffusion of 17 glm3 of the composition according to the invention causes the relative humidity to pass

from 45 to 82% local.

  As an illustration of the phenomenon of potentiation of the bactericidal activity of butylglycol by thymol, it may be indicated that, under identical experimental conditions (10.7 glm3 - 4 h of contact) a 40% aqueous solution of butylglycol alone and the composition according to the invention exert respectively the following effects, expressed in decimal Logs: L Colibacilli Staphylococci Streptococci Composition according to the invention> 5.0 5.0 5.0 Butylglycol solution alone 1.21 0.33 0.42 These various results clearly demonstrate that the compositions according to the invention have an air disinfectant activity at least as satisfactory as that of the old formaldehyde-containing compositions, while eliminating their drawbacks, and that this activity must be attributed to a potentiation of effects, some of which have not yet been observed in

  because of their weakness of the constituents of these compositions.

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Claims (7)

  1. Composition for disinfecting surfaces by air, characterized in that it contains as active constituents on the one hand a methyl-isopropylphenol and on the other hand an alkyl ether of glycol, and in that said constituents are in solution in water. 2. Composition according to claim 1, characterized in that the methylisopropylphenol is m-thymol and the alkyl glycol ether is the monobutyl ether of ethylene glycol or "butylglycol".   3. Composition according to claims 1 and 2, characterized   in that the proportion by weight of m-thymol is from 0.1 to 5%, and preferably of the order of 0.5-0.75% and the proportion by weight of butylglycol is from 5 to 30% and preferably around   by 20%, the rest of the composition consisting of water.   4. Composition according to claim 3, characterized in that a portion of the butylglycol is replaced by hexylene glycol.   5. Composition according to any one of claims 1 to   4, characterized in that it contains, in% by weight: Thymol 0.75 Butylglycol 20 Hexylene glycol 8 Water (demineralized) 71.25 6. Application of the composition according to any one of   claims 1 to 5 for disinfecting surfaces, by   diffusion of said composition in the form of an aerosol in the room to be treated.   7. Application according to claim 6, characterized in that the composition is diffused in the form of an aerosol at a rate   approximately 20ml m3 of air to be disinfected.