JP7515386B2 - Microbial control treatment items for room air conditioners - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners.

The inside of the indoor unit of a room air conditioner is prone to condensation and high humidity, so if the temperature rises moderately, mold will grow and the room will become unsanitary.
For such places with high humidity, aerosol-type disinfectants (Patent Document 1) and smoke-type anti-fungal agents (Patent Document 2) have been proposed.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-313587 JP 2001-187704 A

However, aerosol and fumigation type treatment agents have the problem that they adhere to the surface and surrounding areas of the indoor unit.
An object of the present invention is to provide a microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners, which is less likely to cause adhesion of a treatment agent to the surface or periphery of the indoor unit.

The present invention has the following aspects.
[1] A microbial control treatment article for a room air conditioner, which has an air intake on its upper surface and an air outlet on its front or bottom, and which comprises a volatile microbial control agent composition and a carrier having a specific volume of 5 to 30 ^cm3 /g, and the volatile microbial control agent composition is supported on the carrier in a volatile manner.
[2] The volatile microbial control agent composition according to [1], comprising the following component A, component B, and component C, the total content of the components A and C being 65 to 99.9% by mass, and A/C, which represents the mass ratio of the component A to the component C, being 0.6 to 20.
Component A: one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of a compound (A1) represented by the following formula (I) and a glycol compound (A2) having 2 to 4 carbon atoms:
Component B: Acyclic aldehyde compound.
Component C: Water.

[In the formula, R ¹ and R ² are each independently a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group; X is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an acetyl group; when X is a methyl group, R ³ is a hydrogen atom; and when X is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group, R ³ is a methyl group or an ethyl group. n is 1 or 2.]
[3] The microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners according to [1] or [2], wherein the amount of the volatile microbial control agent composition supported per unit volume of the carrier is 0.1 to 1.2 g/ ^cm3 .
[4] The microorganism control treatment article for a room air conditioner according to any one of [1] to [3], further comprising an installation member for installing the carrier in the indoor unit so that the carrier comes into contact with gas inside the indoor unit.

The present invention provides a microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners that is less likely to adhere to the surface or surrounding area of the indoor unit.

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing an example of an indoor unit of a room air conditioner. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of the indoor unit of FIG. 1 as viewed from below.

<Microbial control treatment products for room air conditioners>
The microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners of this embodiment (hereinafter also referred to as the "control treatment article") is an article that performs microbial control treatment on the indoor unit of a room air conditioner (hereinafter also referred to as the "air conditioner").
The control treatment article of this embodiment is suitable for use in microbial control treatment of the indoor unit of an air conditioner having an air intake on the upper surface and an air outlet on the front or bottom.
In this specification, microbial control treatment (hereinafter also simply referred to as "control treatment") means a treatment that kills part or all of fine particles (sterilization, disinfection, fungicide, etc.), a treatment that inhibits the growth of microorganisms (antibacterial, antifungal, etc.), or a combination thereof.

The control treatment article of this embodiment has a volatile microbial control agent composition (hereinafter also simply referred to as "control agent composition") and a carrier, and the control agent composition is supported on the carrier in a volatile manner.
<Carrier>
In this embodiment, a carrier having a specific volume of 5 to 30 cm ³ /g is used. When the specific volume is within the above range, the microbial control effect is easily enhanced, and the control effect is easily obtained over a wide range inside the indoor unit. Furthermore, when the specific volume of the carrier is equal to or greater than the above lower limit, a sufficient amount of liquid can be supported, and the control agent composition is less likely to seep out from the carrier. On the other hand, when the specific volume is equal to or less than the above upper limit, the carrier is excellent in compactness and easy to use. For example, it is easy to install it in an air conditioner outlet. Furthermore, the carrier is easily strong.
The specific volume of the carrier is more preferably from 5 to 20 cm ³ /g.

The material of the carrier is not particularly limited, and any material that is known as a carrier for carrying a volatile deodorant or aromatic agent and satisfies the above-mentioned specific volume can be used.
Specific examples include fiber substrates such as paper, woven fabric, and nonwoven fabric; porous cellulose particles such as Viscopearl (registered trademark); inorganic porous carriers such as amorphous or low-crystalline porous silicates (e.g., petal-shaped calcium silicate), kaolin, talc, calcium carbonate, silica stone, silica sand, and ceramics; foamed resins; plastic resin films or molded articles composed of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), ethylene/methyl methacrylate copolymer (EMMA), styrene-based diblock polymers, styrene-based triblock polymers, thermoplastic plastic elastomers (TPE, TPO), etc.; silicone rubber; or combinations thereof.

The carrier is preferably a porous body having air permeability, and more preferably a fiber substrate formed using a fibrous material.
Examples of the fiber substrate include nonwoven fabrics, tissue composites, and nonwoven fabric composites. Nonwoven fabrics are particularly useful because they are inexpensive, easy to dispose of after use, and have excellent compactness.
The nonwoven fabric may be an air-laid nonwoven fabric, which is a nonwoven fabric formed by forming a web using an air-laid method in which fibers constituting the nonwoven fabric are randomly laminated in a three-dimensional manner using an air flow.
The tissue composite is a nonwoven fabric formed from a middle layer made of an airlaid nonwoven fabric and tissue having a hydrophilic substrate on both sides of the middle layer.
The nonwoven fabric composite product is a nonwoven fabric having a middle layer made of air-laid nonwoven fabric and front and back surfaces of the middle layer made of spunlace.
The carrier can be selected from commercially available fiber substrates that satisfy the above specific volume.

A preferred nonwoven composite product is, for example, a laminate comprising a middle layer made of an air-laid nonwoven fabric formed using cellulose fibers and heat-fusible synthetic fibers, and a liquid-permeable surface layer provided on one or both of the front and back sides of the middle layer. The middle layer may further contain synthetic fibers (polyester, etc.).
In the intermediate layer, the cellulose fibers and other constituent materials are bonded and fixed via a heat-fusible synthetic resin, which may be any resin capable of bonding and fixing the components of the nonwoven fabric by heat fusion.
The heat-fusible synthetic resin is preferably at least one selected from the group consisting of polyethylene, polypropylene, ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymer, polyamide, and polyester. The shape of the heat-fusible synthetic resin may be powder, granule, fiber, or any combination thereof, depending on the purpose. Heat-fusible synthetic resin fiber is particularly preferred.
Examples of the cellulose fibers include natural cellulose fibers, rayon fibers produced using natural cellulose as a raw material, etc. Examples of the natural cellulose fibers include wood pulp (chemical pulp, mechanical pulp), linter, non-wood plant pulp (hemp, cotton, etc.), waste paper pulp, etc.
The substrate that becomes the surface layer is preferably a hydrophilic porous material mainly made of cellulose fibers, such as tissue, absorbent paper, nonwoven fabric, etc. Air-laid nonwoven fabric is also acceptable.

For example, the specific volume of a sheet-like fiber substrate is calculated from the thickness and basis weight of the sheet according to the following formula (1).
Specific volume (unit: cm ³ /g)={thickness (unit: mm)/10}/{grams (unit: g/m ² )/(100×100)} (1)
The basis weight of the fiber substrate is preferably 100 to 1000 g/m ² , more preferably 150 to 600 g/m ^2. Within the above range, a preferable specific volume is easily obtained, and the microbial control effect is easily improved.
The thickness of the fiber substrate is preferably 1 to 20 mm, more preferably 1.5 to 10 mm, and even more preferably 2 to 5 mm. Within the above range, a preferable specific volume is easily obtained, and the microbial control effect is easily enhanced.

The supported amount/carrier volume, which represents the mass (supported amount) of the control agent composition per unit volume of the carrier, is preferably 0.1 to 1.2 g/cm ³ , more preferably 0.4 to 0.9 g/cm ³ , and even more preferably 0.5 to 0.8 g/cm ^3. When it is within the above range, the microbial control effect is easily enhanced. When the supported amount/carrier volume is equal to or more than the lower limit of the above range, a sufficient microbial control effect is easily obtained, and when it is equal to or less than the upper limit, the control agent composition is less likely to seep out from the carrier.

<Pest control composition>
The control agent composition is a liquid that spontaneously volatilizes at room temperature (5 to 50° C.) and may be any composition that has a microbial control effect, and any known control agent composition can be used.
As the control agent composition, a composition containing the following component A, the following component B and the following component C is preferred.

[Component A]
Component A is one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of components A1 and A2.
(A1 component)
The component A1 is a compound represented by the following formula (I): The component A1 exerts an excellent microbial control function when used in combination with the components B and C.

In formula (I), R ¹ and R ² are each independently a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group; X is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an acetyl group; when X is a methyl group, R ³ is a hydrogen atom; and when X is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group, R ³ is a methyl group or an ethyl group.
It is more preferred that X is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group, and R ¹ , R ² and R ³ are each independently a methyl group or an ethyl group. It is even more preferred that X is a hydrogen atom, and R ¹ , R ² and R ³ are each independently a methyl group or an ethyl group.
In formula (I), n is 1 or 2, with 2 being preferred.

Specific examples of the A1 component include 1-methoxy-2-butanol, 3-methoxy-1-butanol, 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-pentanol, 3-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-pentanol, and 3-methoxy-3-methyl-butyl acetate.
Of these, from the viewpoint of microbial control effect, 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-pentanol, 3-ethoxy-3-methyl-1-pentanol, and 3-methoxy-3-methyl-butyl acetate are preferred, and 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol is more preferred.

(Component A2)
Component A2 is a glycol compound having 2 to 4 carbon atoms. In this specification, "glycol compound" means a dihydric alcohol in which two hydroxyl groups are bonded to different carbon atoms. Component A2 contributes to improving the microbial control action of component B. Component A2 may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.
When the number of carbon atoms in the glycol compound is within the above range, the microbial control effect of component B is easily enhanced.
The boiling point of component A2 is preferably 180 to 250° C., more preferably 180 to 215° C., and even more preferably 185 to 200° C. If it is within the above range, it is easy to control the volatilization of component B at room temperature (5 to 50° C.), and it is easy to enhance the microbial control effect in combination with component B.
In this specification, boiling points are standard boiling points at 1 atmospheric pressure unless otherwise specified.

Specific examples of A2 components include propylene glycol (also known as 1,2-propanediol, boiling point 188°C), ethylene glycol (also known as 1,2-ethanediol, boiling point 197°C), 1,3-propanediol (boiling point 211°C), 1,2-butanediol (boiling point 193°C), 1,3-butanediol (boiling point 207°C), 1,4-butanediol (boiling point 228°C), and diethylene glycol (boiling point 245°C).

In terms of making it easier to enhance the microbial control effect, it is preferable that component A2 contains one or more members selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, 1,3-propanediol, 1,3-butanediol, and diethylene glycol.
It is more preferable that component A2 contains one or more members selected from the group consisting of propylene glycol and ethylene glycol.

[Component B]
Component B is an acyclic aldehyde compound. Component B is a fragrance component having a microorganism controlling effect.
In this specification, the term "acyclic aldehyde" refers to a compound that does not have a ring structure in the molecule and has an aldehyde group.
Examples of compounds having a ring structure include alicyclic compounds (cycloalkanes, cycloalkenes, etc.), aromatic compounds (benzene, naphthalene, etc.), heterocyclic compounds (pyridine, etc.), and macrocyclic compounds (porphyrins, etc.).

Component B is preferably an aldehyde compound having a linear or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having a carbon number of 6 to 16. Examples of the hydrocarbon group include an alkyl group and an alkenyl group.
Examples of component B include citral, citronellal, hydroxycitronellal, octyl aldehyde, nonyl aldehyde, decyl aldehyde, undecyl aldehyde, trimethylhexyl aldehyde, trans-2-hexanal, 2,6-nonadienal, and cis-4-decenal. One type of component B may be used, or two or more types may be used in combination.
It is preferable that component B contains at least one of citronellal and citral.

[Component C]
Component C is water. Component C contributes to improving the microbial control effect when used in combination with components A and B.

[Content]
The content of component A in the control composition is preferably 40 to 80% by mass, more preferably 55 to 75% by mass, and even more preferably 58 to 70% by mass, based on the total mass of the control composition. When in the above range, the microbial control effect is easily enhanced.
The content of component B is preferably 0.1 to 30% by mass, more preferably 10 to 25% by mass, based on the total mass of the control composition. When the content is within the above range, good control performance against microorganisms is easily obtained.
The content of component C is preferably 5 to 45% by mass, more preferably 10 to 30% by mass, and even more preferably 15 to 30% by mass, based on the total mass of the control composition. When it is within the above range, the microbial control effect is easily enhanced. Also, when it is equal to or less than the above upper limit, the compatibility of component B in the control composition is excellent.

The total content of the A component and the C component (hereinafter also referred to as "A+C") is preferably 65 to 99.9% by mass, more preferably 75 to 95% by mass, and even more preferably 80 to 89% by mass. When it is equal to or more than the lower limit of the above range, the B component is easily dissolved uniformly in the control agent composition, and a stable microbial control effect is easily obtained. When it is equal to or less than the upper limit, the microbial control effect is easily enhanced.
A/C, which represents the mass ratio of the A component to the C component, is preferably 0.6 to 20, more preferably 1 to 8, and even more preferably 2 to 5. By keeping it within the above range, the microbial control effect is easily improved.

[Other ingredients]
The control agent composition may contain optional components other than the above-mentioned components A, B, and C, within the scope of not impairing the effects of the present invention. Examples thereof include bactericides (antibacterial agents), insecticides, repellents, fragrances, deodorants, preservatives, surfactants, solvents, stabilizers at low and high temperatures, etc.
As the disinfectant, preferred are those having volatility such as 3-methyl-4-isopropylphenol (IPMP), hinokitiol, thiabendazole, chlorine dioxide, chlorous acid, chlorous acid water, and hypochlorous acid water.
In order to adjust the fragrance tone of the control agent composition, known fragrance components can be used as fragrance components other than component B. Known fragrance components are, for example, those described in "Perfume and Flavor Chemicals", Vol. I and II, Steffen Arctander, Allured Pub. Co. (1994), "Synthetic Fragrances: Chemistry and Product Knowledge", Genichi Indo, Chemical Daily Co. (1996), and "Perfume and Flavor Materials of Natural Origin", Steffen Arctander, Allured Pub. Co. (1994), "Encyclopedia of Fragrance", edited by the Japan Fragrance Association, Asakura Publishing Co., Ltd. (1989), "Perfumery Material Performance V.3.3", Boelens Aroma Chemical Information Service (1996), "Flower Oils and Floral Compounds In Perfumery", Danute Lajaujis Anonis, Allured Pub. Co. (1993), and JP-A-2002-173698 Table 3 include the fragrance components.
Specific examples include γ-undecalactone, 1-menthol, carvone, allyl heptanoate, cyclogalvanel, styralyl acetate, ethylene brassylate, Triplal (trade name), Iso-E-Super (trade name), and Ambroxan (trade name).

The total content of the other components relative to the total mass of the control composition is preferably 34.9% by mass or less, more preferably 24.9% by mass or less, even more preferably 19.9% by mass or less, and particularly preferably 15% by mass or less. It may be zero.

<Installation materials>
The pest control treatment article of this embodiment preferably has an installation member for installing the carrier in the indoor unit of an air conditioner.
The installation member may be any member capable of installing the carrier in the indoor unit of the air conditioner so that the carrier comes into contact with the gas inside the indoor unit. It is preferable that the installation member be capable of detachably installing the carrier.
The installation member is preferably, for example, a double-sided adhesive tape having adhesive layers on both sides.
Alternatively, the installation member may have a cartridge having a ventilation window and accommodating a carrier, and a mounting member for mounting the cartridge to an indoor unit of an air conditioner. Examples of the mounting member include a double-sided adhesive tape, a hook-and-loop fastener, and the like.

The installation member may be provided integrally with the carrier in advance.
Alternatively, the product may be in the form of a kit having an article comprising a carrier and a control agent composition supported on the carrier, and an installation member separate from the carrier. The kit can be used by integrating the installation member and the carrier when in use, and attaching the kit to the indoor unit of an air conditioner.

<Microbial control treatment method>
In the treatment method of this embodiment, the pest control treatment article of this embodiment is installed in the indoor unit of an air conditioner having an air intake on the upper surface and an air outlet on the front or bottom. It is preferable to install the pest control treatment article while the air conditioner is stopped.
After the pest control article is installed, the air conditioner is stopped and left to stand for pest control treatment. The pest control composition naturally volatilizes from the installed pest control article into the space inside the indoor unit, and the inside of the indoor unit is pest-control treated.

The location of the pest control treatment article may be any location where the carrier comes into contact with the gas inside the indoor unit. It is preferable to place it near the outlet. For example, it may be placed at the back (inner side) of the outlet, or it may be attached to a flap (horizontal blade) provided at the outlet.
After the pest control article is installed, the pest control effect can be improved by making the space in which the pest control article is present a closed space with little air flow. For example, it is preferable to perform pest control treatment by leaving the air outlet closed with a flap (horizontal blade) provided at the air outlet of an air conditioner.
The standing time (treatment time) is preferably 8 hours or more, more preferably 12 hours or more, and even more preferably 24 hours or more. The upper limit of the treatment time is not particularly limited, but if the air conditioner is stopped for too long, it is not convenient to use. For example, 72 hours or less is preferable, and 60 hours or less is more preferable.
After the treatment time has elapsed, it is preferable to remove the pest control treatment article.

According to the treatment method of this embodiment, the inside of the indoor unit can be treated by placing the treatment product of this embodiment in the place where it comes into contact with the gas inside the indoor unit. Therefore, the treatment operation is simple, and the treatment agent is unlikely to adhere to the surface or surrounding area of the indoor unit.

The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited to the following description.
[Evaluation method]
<Preparation of test mold plates>
Cladosporium cladosporioides HMC1064 (bathroom isolate) cultured on a potato dextrose agar (Difco) slant medium at 25°C for 1 week was dispersed in a sterilized 0.05% Tween 80 (Kanto Chemical) aqueous solution to prepare a spore solution of approximately ¹⁰⁶ CFU/mL. Next, 0.1 mL of the spore solution was inoculated onto a plastic plate (PP plate, 25 mm x 25 mm) and dried overnight at room temperature (thin film, number of bacteria on plate was approximately ¹⁰⁶ CFU) to prepare a mold plate.

<Volatilization test>
Figures 1 and 2 are diagrams showing an example of an indoor unit of an air conditioner to explain the volatilization test method. Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of the indoor unit, and Figure 2 is a schematic view of the indoor unit of Figure 1 viewed from below. In the figures, reference numerals 1 indicate the exterior body of the indoor unit, 2 indicate a cross-throw fan, 3 indicate a flap (horizontal blade), 4 indicate a louver (vertical blade), 5 indicate an air outlet, 10 indicate a pest control treatment product, and 11 indicate a mold plate. The air outlet 5 can be opened and closed by changing the angle of the flap 3. The two sides of the center 5a of the air outlet 5 in the horizontal direction are called the left side 5b and the right side 5c, respectively.

This test was carried out according to the following procedure.
(1) An air conditioner indoor unit (Daikin Industries product name F22WTRXS-W) was installed in a space adjusted to a relative humidity of approximately 85% and a temperature of 20°C.
(2) As shown in Figures 1 and 2, with the air conditioner turned off, the flap 3 was tilted to open the air outlet 5, and an unused mold plate 11 was placed directly below the cross-flow fan 2.
Specifically, a support rod 11a was attached to the mold plate 11, and the mold plate 11 was inserted inward from the outlet 5 so that the mold plate 11 was positioned directly below the cross-flow fan 2, and the support rod 11a was fixed to the outlet 5 with adhesive tape.
As shown in Fig. 2, four mold plates 11 were installed on each of the left side 5b and the right side 5c of the air outlet 5. Of the four mold plates 11, two were installed near the ends of the air outlet 5 and two were installed near the center 5a. The two mold plates 11 were installed at positions spaced apart from each other via the louvers 4.
(3) As shown in Fig. 2, a pest control treatment article 10 was attached to the upper surface of the flap 3 (the surface that is on the inside when the air outlet 5 is closed) on each of the left side 5b and right side 5c of the air outlet 5. The pest control treatment article 10 was installed on the deep side of the approximate center of the area from the center 5a of the air outlet 5 to the end of the air outlet 5 (the lower side when the air outlet 5 is closed).
(4) Next, the angle of the flap 3 was changed to close the air outlet 5, and the mixture was left to stand for 48 hours. After 48 hours, the flap 3 was tilted to open the air outlet 5, and the mold plate 11 after the test was collected.
(5) An unused mold plate was used as a reference mold plate, and the disinfecting activity value of the mold plate 11 after the test recovered in (4) above was measured by the following method to evaluate the control performance.

<Evaluation of control performance>
10 mL of GPLP liquid medium (manufactured by Nippon Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.) was added to each of the reference mold plate and the mold plate 11 after the test to wash out the bacteria, and the liquid was inoculated onto a potato dextrose agar medium by smearing, and the number of colonies was counted after culturing at 25° C. for 5 days to calculate the viable bacteria count. The viable bacteria count was converted to common logarithm (log), and the value obtained by subtracting the number of bacteria on the mold plate 11 after the test from the number of bacteria on the reference mold plate was used as the disinfection activity value.
The average disinfection activity value of the four mold plates 11 placed near the center 5a of the outlet 5 was taken as the average disinfection activity value of the central portion, and the central portion was scored according to the following evaluation criteria.
The average disinfection activity value of the four mold plates 11 installed near both ends of the outlet 5 was taken as the average disinfection activity value of both ends, and the evaluation points of both ends were scored according to the following evaluation criteria.
(Evaluation criteria)
5 points: average disinfecting activity value of 2.5 or higher.
4 points: Average disinfecting activity value is 2.0 or more and less than 2.5.
3 points: Average disinfecting activity value is 1.5 or more and less than 2.0.
2 points: Average disinfecting activity value is 1.0 or more and less than 1.5.
1 point: average disinfecting activity value is less than 1.0.

<Overall evaluation of control performance>
The scores for the center portion and both ends were added together and an overall evaluation was made according to the following evaluation criteria.
(Evaluation criteria)
◎◎: Total score is 10 points.
◎: Total score is 9 points.
○: Total score is 8 points.
△: Total score is 6 or 7 points.
×: Total score is 5 or less.
When the overall evaluation result was rated as ◎◎ to ○, it was determined that the air conditioner had excellent effectiveness in controlling microorganisms in every corner of the interior.

[Ingredients used]
<Component A>
(A1 component)
A1-1: 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butanol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.; a compound of formula (I) in which R ¹ , R ² and R ³ are methyl groups, X is a hydrogen atom, and n is 2).
A1-2: 1-methoxy-2-butanol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.; a compound of formula (I) in which R ¹ is an ethyl group, R ² and R ³ are hydrogen atoms, X is a methyl group, and n is 1).
A1-3: 3-methoxy-3-methyl-1-butyl acetate (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.; a compound of the formula (I) in which R ¹ , R ² and R ³ are methyl groups, X is an acetyl group, and n is 2).
(Component A2)
A2-1: Propylene glycol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
A2-2: Ethylene glycol (manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
A2-3: 1,3-propanediol (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
A2-4: 1,3-butanediol (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
<Component B>
B-1: Citral (Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
B-2: Citronellal ((-)-citronellal, manufactured by Tokyo Chemical Industry Co., Ltd.).
<Component C>
C-1: Water (ion-exchanged water).

[Carrier]
Carrier No. 1: Airlaid nonwoven fabric (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd., product name XCA2): specific volume 5.0 cm ³ /g, basis weight 400 g/m ² , thickness 2 mm.
Carrier No. 2: Airlaid nonwoven fabric (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd., product name XCA4): specific volume 6.7 cm ³ /g, basis weight 600 g/m ² , thickness 4 mm.
Carrier No. 3: Airlaid nonwoven fabric (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd., product name XCA8): specific volume 8.0 cm ³ /g, basis weight 1000 g/m ² , thickness 8 mm.
Carrier No. 4: Airlaid nonwoven fabric (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd., product name YA4): specific volume 5.0 cm ³ /g, basis weight 800 g/m ² , thickness 4 mm.
Carrier No. 5: Tissue composite product (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd.), specific volume 13.3 cm ³ /g, basis weight 150 g/m ² , thickness 2 mm.
Carrier No. 6: nonwoven fabric composite (manufactured by Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd.), specific volume 15.4 cm ³ /g, basis weight 195 g/m ² , thickness 3 mm.
Carrier No. 7 (Comparative Example): Airlaid nonwoven fabric (product name of Oji Kinocloth Co., Ltd., product name Hatosheet A), specific volume 3.8 cm ³ /g, basis weight 800 g/m ² , thickness 3 mm.
Carrier No. 8 (Comparative Example): Airlaid nonwoven fabric (manufactured by Lion Corporation, product name: Reed Cooking Paper), specific volume 33.3 cm ³ /g, basis weight 45 g/m ² , thickness 1.5 mm.

(Examples 1 to 32)
Examples 1 to 29 are working examples, and Examples 30 to 32 are comparative examples.
Each control composition was prepared by mixing components A, B, and C according to the compositions shown in Tables 1 to 3. Components whose amounts are not listed in the tables were not included.
The total content of A+C, the mass ratio of A/C, and the content of component B are shown in the table.

In Examples 1 to 29 and 31 and 32, a double-sided tape (Nichiban Co., Ltd., Nic-tack general type) was attached as an installation member to the back surface of a sheet-like carrier cut to a width of 16 mm and a length of 120 mm, and the carrier was impregnated with a predetermined amount of the pest control composition to form a pest control treated article 10.
The type of carrier, the volume of the carrier, the amount of the control composition impregnated in the carrier (carrier carrying amount), and the amount carried/carrier volume in each example are shown in the table.
In Example 30, instead of a carrier, a non-treated dish (manufactured by Corning, Product Number 430588) with an inner diameter of 35 mm was used with a double-sided tape (manufactured by Nichiban, NicTack general type) attached to the outside of the bottom surface. The control agent composition was dropped into the dish in the amount (supported amount) shown in the table to prepare a control-treated article. When conducting the volatilization test, two dishes containing the control agent composition were attached to the inside of the left side 5b and the right side 5c of the outlet 5 so that the control agent composition would not spill out.
The pest control performance of each of the pest control treated articles was evaluated by the above-mentioned method, and the results are shown in the table.

As shown in Tables 1 to 3, in Examples 1 to 29 in which carriers with specific volumes of 5 to 30 cm ³ /g were used, pest control was achieved in every nook and cranny inside the indoor unit of the air conditioner.
On the other hand, in Example 30 where no carrier was used, Example 31 where the specific volume of the carrier was too small, and Example 32 where the specific volume of the carrier was too large, pest control could not be achieved in every corner of the inside of the air conditioner indoor unit.

1 Exterior body 2 Cross-throw fan 3 Flap (horizontal blade)
4 Louvers (vertical blades)
5 Air outlet 10 Pest control treatment item 11 Mold plate

Claims (4)

An article for microbial control treatment of an indoor unit of a room air conditioner having an air intake on the upper surface and an air outlet on the front or lower portion,
A volatile microbial control agent composition and a carrier having a specific volume of 5 to 30 cm ³ /g, the volatile microbial control agent composition being supported on the carrier in a volatile manner,
The carrier is a nonwoven fabric,
The volatile microbial control agent composition contains the following component A, the following component B, and the following component C,
The total content of the A component and the C component is 65 to 99.9 mass %,
A microorganism control treatment article for a room air conditioner, wherein A/C, which represents a mass ratio of the A component to the C component, is 0.6 to 20.
Component A: one or more solvents selected from the group consisting of a compound (A1) represented by the following formula (I) and a glycol compound (A2) having 2 to 4 carbon atoms:
Component B: Acyclic aldehyde compound.
Component C: Water.

[In the formula, R ¹ and R ² are each independently a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an ethyl group; X is a hydrogen atom, a methyl group, or an acetyl group; when X is a methyl group, R ³ is a hydrogen atom; and when X is a hydrogen atom or an acetyl group, R ³ is a methyl group or an ethyl group. n is 1 or 2.] The microbial control treatment article for a room air conditioner according to claim 1 , wherein the nonwoven fabric is an air-laid nonwoven fabric or a nonwoven fabric having a layer made of an air-laid nonwoven fabric.
The microbial control treatment article for room air conditioners according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the amount of the volatile microbial control agent composition supported per unit volume of the carrier is 0.1 to 1.2 g/cm ³ . The microbial control treatment article for a room air conditioner according to any one of claims 1 to 3, which has an installation member for installing the carrier in the indoor unit so that the carrier comes into contact with the gas inside the indoor unit.

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