JPH06216A - Gelating material for medical waste and method of gelation - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent overflow or dust flying at handling and provide a large water absorbing capacity by wrapping a water absorbent consisting of water absorptive resin in the form of powder or grains with paper of water collapsing property, and thereby forming a gelating material for medical waste. CONSTITUTION:When medical waste is to be processed such as body fluid like blood exhausted at surgical operation in hospital, and absorbent cotton, gauze, injection needle, glove for operation, etc., contaminated with such body fluid, the waste in the state containing water is gelated by adding a gelating material. This gelating material is prepared by wrapping a water absorbent consisting of water absorptive resin 3 in the form of powder or grains with paper 1 of water collapsing property. For example, it may appear as a laminate sheet of such a structure that a water soluble film, for example water soluble popal film 2, is attached to the inner surface of the paper 1 of water collapsing property, and with it the water absorbent is wrapped, which contains according to necessity a filler of activated clay, tale, etc.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a gelling material for medical waste and a gelling method. More specifically, the gelation of blood discharged during surgery in hospitals, births in maternity hospitals, body fluids such as amniotic fluid, absorbent cotton contaminated with body fluids, gauze, injection needles, surgical gloves, etc. The present invention relates to a material and a gelling method.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, medical wastes such as those exemplified above, which are discharged from hospitals, maternity hospitals, etc., are often collected in plastic containers or the like and incinerated as they are. On the other hand, water-absorbing materials such as sand, bentonite, zeolite, sawdust, pulp, and paper waste are known as treatment materials capable of solidifying an aqueous waste liquid.

[0003]

However, when incinerating the medical waste as it is without solidifying it as described above,
There is a risk that the container will be accidentally damaged during transport to the incinerator and body fluid will flow out, soak into the ground and make recovery difficult. Further, the water-absorbing material as described above, (1) is usually added in the form of powder or flakes, but at this time spills or dust, (2) it takes time to put, 3) There is a problem that the amount of addition is large because the water absorption capacity is small, and (4) If pressure is applied after water absorption, the once absorbed water is easily discharged, and the surrounding area becomes dirty.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present inventors have arrived at the present invention as a result of extensive studies in order to find an improved gelling material and a gelling method for medical waste in view of the above problems. That is, the present invention provides a gelling material for medical waste in which a water-absorbing material composed of powdery or granular water-absorbing resin is wrapped in water-disintegrating paper; and a water-absorbing material composed of powdery or granular water-absorbing resin. , A gelling material for medical waste wrapped in a water-soluble film; a water-absorbing material made of a powdery or granular water-absorbing resin is wrapped in a laminated sheet in which a water-disintegratable paper and a water-soluble film are bonded together A gelling material for medical waste; and a gelling method for medical waste, characterized in that any one of the above gelling materials is put into a medical waste containing water to cause gelation. .

In the present invention, the water absorbent resin is
For example, starch or cellulose (a) and a water-soluble monomer containing a carboxyl group and / or a sulfonic acid group and / or a monomer (b) which becomes water-soluble by hydrolysis.
And a cross-linking agent (c) as an essential component are polymerized, and if necessary, hydrolyzed to obtain a water-absorbent resin. Used in the production of water-absorbent resin exemplified above
details of (a), (b) and (c), proportions of (a), (b) and (c),
Specific examples of the production method and the water absorbent resin are JP-A-52-25886,
Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-46199, Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-46200 and Japanese Patent Publication No. 55-2
It is described in Japanese Patent No. 1041.

Water-absorbent resins other than those exemplified above include, for example, those obtained by polymerizing (a) and (b) (starch-
Hydrolyzate of acrylonitrile graft polymer, hydrolyzate of cellulose-acrylonitrile graft polymer, etc.); Cross-linked product of (a) (cross-linked product of carboxymethyl cellulose); Copolymer of (b) and (c) ( Cross-linked polyacrylamide partial hydrolyzate, cross-linked acrylic acid-
Acrylamide copolymer, crosslinked sulfonated polystyrene, saponified vinyl ester-unsaturated carboxylic acid copolymer described in JP-A-52-14689 and JP-A-52-27455, crosslinked polyacrylic acid salt Crosslinked acrylic acid-acrylic acid ester copolymer, crosslinked isobutylene-maleic anhydride copolymer, and crosslinked carboxylic acid-modified polyvinyl alcohol); and a polymer of (b) having self-crosslinking property. (Self-crosslinking type polyacrylate etc.) are mentioned. Further, two or more kinds of the water absorbent resins exemplified above may be used in combination.

Among these, preferred are, and among those exemplified as, a partial hydrolyzate of crosslinked polyacrylamide, a crosslinked acrylic acid-acrylamide copolymer, crosslinked polyacrylic acid (salt), crosslinked Acrylic acid-acrylic acid ester copolymers, crosslinked isobutylene-maleic anhydride copolymers, and crosslinked carboxylic acid-modified polyvinyl alcohols.

The water-absorbent resin suitably has a water-absorbing performance for pure water of at least 50 ml / g, preferably 100 to 1,000 ml / g. The shape of the water-absorbent resin is preferably powdery or granular (particle size is usually 5 mm or less). As the water-absorbent material, other water-absorbent material may be used in combination with the water-absorbent resin, if necessary (for example, conventionally known water-absorbent material such as pulp, sawdust, etc.). Is preferred.

In the present invention, the water absorbent material is activated clay.
Fillers such as talc, diatomaceous earth, bentonite, kaolin, clay and silica gel may be contained.
By using these fillers in combination with the water absorbent resin,
This can be prevented when the particles of the water-absorbent resin become muddy when they come into contact with body fluid.

In the present invention, when the water absorbing material contains a filler, the amount of the filler added is usually 0.001 to 100 parts by weight, preferably 0.005 to 20 parts by weight, per 1 part by weight of the water absorbing material.

In addition to the water absorbing material, if necessary,
Deodorant, fragrance, bactericide, fungicide, preservative, antifoam,
A foaming agent, a coagulant, an antiblocking agent, a surfactant, an oxygen scavenger, a bulking agent and the like can be used in combination.

In the present invention, the water-disintegratable paper used as the packaging material is, for example, a pulp fiber of paper which is adhered with a water-soluble or hydrophilic paste, a water-swelling polymer or the like to form water. Paper that causes pulp fibers to disintegrate upon contact (such as "Dissolvo WA" manufactured by Mishima Paper Co., Ltd.), and paper that also uses a heat sealant to add molding processability (heat adhesiveness) ("Dissolve WAP" manufactured by Mishima Paper Co., Ltd.) and the like. These papers are characterized by a high speed of disintegration due to water absorption.

Examples of the water-soluble film include water-soluble Poval film, starch film and carrageenan film. These films are more water soluble (disintegrated) than the above water disintegratable paper when compared at the same thickness.
Although the speed is inferior, it has a feature that the film strength in the dry state is high.

Further, the laminated sheet obtained by laminating the water-disintegratable paper and the water-soluble film is one obtained by adhering and laminating at least one kind of the water-disintegratable paper and the water-soluble film (see above). "Dissolve WA"
"Dissolvo WAL" manufactured by Mishima Paper Manufacturing Co., Ltd. in which a Poval film is attached to the above). These laminated sheets are characterized by fast dissolution (disintegration) in water and high film strength. Since the thickness of the water-soluble film to be laminated can be reduced by the strength of the paper, both the dissolution (disintegration) rate and the film strength can be improved as a whole. Among these packaging materials, preferred are water-disintegrating paper and the above-mentioned laminated sheet, especially the laminated sheet. The time required for these packaging materials to disintegrate or dissolve in water is usually 5 minutes or less, preferably 2 minutes or less, and more preferably 1 minute or less.

In the present invention, the medical waste includes
Examples thereof include body fluids such as blood, lymph fluid, bone marrow fluid, and amniotic fluid, absorbent cotton contaminated with these body fluids, injection needles, surgical gloves, medical instruments such as disposable sheets, and medical consumables. These medical wastes are discharged during surgery in hospitals, anatomy and childbirth in maternity hospitals. At this time, a part of the living tissue excised at this time, the physiological saline solution used for cleaning the local area, surgical instruments and surgery. Contaminants such as water used to wash the table and the like, disinfectants, therapeutic agents, used ampoules, and garbage may be included. Also,
When the medical waste is mainly composed of medical instruments and medical consumables contaminated with body fluids as described above, and when the water content is low, the gelling material of the present invention can be prepared by adding water to the waste. And the method of the present invention can be effectively used. Even if the medical waste and the medical consumables as exemplified above are mixed in the medical waste, the entire waste can be made into a gelled product by the method of the present invention, and therefore, it is discarded. It is convenient for the above.

As an example of the method for producing the gelling material of the present invention, a packaging member provided with an opening having a predetermined shape and size is prepared in advance by using any of the packaging materials exemplified above. It can be manufactured by adding a fixed amount of a water-absorbing material and, if necessary, a filler, and then sealing with heat fusion (heat sealing), an adhesive, stitching or the like.

The shape of the gelling material for medical waste of the present invention is
It may have any shape such as a bag shape, a box shape, a cylindrical shape, a ball shape, and a spherical shape, and is not particularly limited. Also, the size is not particularly limited. The amount of the gelling material of the present invention used for medical waste is
It varies depending on the mixing ratio of the water-absorbent resin and the filler and the property of the medical waste to be treated, but in the case of medical waste containing normal water, about 1 liter of water in the waste is gelled. The amount of the gelling material of the present invention required for the purpose is usually in the range of 1 to 600 g, and gelation is sufficient. If it is less than 1 g, the medical waste cannot be gelled sufficiently, and if it is more than 600 g, it becomes uneconomical.

The gelling material of the present invention is placed in a container of arbitrary material and shape containing medical waste containing water, and preferably the entire waste is stirred for a short time (usually 10 minutes). Within, preferably within 5 minutes, more preferably 2
Within minutes, the entire medical waste can be made into a gelled product. Agitation is sufficient so that the entire waste containing water is mixed lightly. The stirrer may be a general-purpose stirrer and is not particularly limited. If the medical waste is liquid, stirring with hand using a spatula is sufficient if the liquid volume is 5 liters or less. Also, if the solid such as the injection needle is partly protruding from the liquid surface in the waste, after adding water to the medical waste in the container, by adding the gelling material of the present invention, the solid The whole can be covered with gel. On the other hand, the gelling material of the present invention may be installed in the waste container in advance before medical waste such as body fluid is put into the waste container or flows into the waste container.

The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing one embodiment of the gelling material of the present invention. 1 is a water-disintegratable paper, 2 is a water-soluble Poval film (1 and 2 are adhered), 3 is a granular water-absorbent resin, and 4 is a heat-sealed portion. Although part of FIG. 1 is omitted, the whole is bag-shaped, and one opening portion of the four circumferences is a heat seal portion. The heat-sealed portion may have any of one to four circumferences as long as the contents are enclosed.

[0020]

EXAMPLES The present invention will be further described below with reference to examples, but the present invention is not limited thereto.

Example 1 "Dissolvo WAL" manufactured by Mishima Paper Co., Ltd.
It was cut into a rectangle of size, two pieces were piled up, and three sides were heat-sealed to make a bag. 20 g of a starch starch acrylate water-absorbing resin "Sunwet IM-1000" (manufactured by Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd.) was put in this, and the opening was heat-sealed to form a gel for medical waste according to the present invention. I made wood. 1.5 liters of waste blood discharged at the time of laparotomy was collected in a vinyl chloride container having a content of 2 liters, and the gelling material was put into the container as a bag and gently stirred with a wooden spatula 20 cm long and 3 cm wide. The whole gelled in about 50 seconds, and the liquid blood could be converted into a solid material that could be handled easily in a short time.

Example 2 "Dissolvo WA" manufactured by Mishima Paper Co., Ltd. was cut into a rectangle having a size of 10 × 9 cm, two sheets were stacked, and three ends were heat-sealed to form a bag. 20 g of partially crosslinked sodium polyacrylate "Sunwet IM-5000" (manufactured by Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd.) was put in this, and the opening was heat-sealed (sealed) to obtain the gelling material for medical waste of the present invention. Had made. Waste blood during surgery containing approximately 50% by weight of physiological saline used for washing 1.
5 liters were collected in a vinyl chloride container having a content of 2 liters, and the gelling material was placed in the bag as it was, and was gently stirred with a wooden spatula 20 cm in length and 3 cm in width. The whole gelled in about 30 seconds, and the liquid blood could be converted into a solid material that could be handled easily in a short time.

Example 3 A commercially available water-soluble Poval film was cut into a rectangle having a size of 10 × 9 cm, two sheets were stacked and the three ends were heat-sealed to form a bag. 20 g of a partially crosslinked sodium acrylate-acrylamide copolymer was put in this, and the opening was heat sealed (sealed) to prepare the gelling material for medical waste of the present invention. Collect 1.5 liters of blood waste from surgery containing approximately 50% by weight of the physiological saline used for washing in a PVC container with a content of 2 liters.
cm, 3 cm wide wooden spatula and gently stirred. The whole gelled (solidified) in about 80 seconds, and the liquid body fluid could be converted into a solid material that could be handled easily in a short time.

Example 4 "Dissolve WAL" manufactured by Mishima Paper Co., Ltd.
It was cut into a rectangle of size, two pieces were piled up, and three sides were heat-sealed to make a bag. 20 g of starch starch acrylate water-absorbing resin "Sunwet IM-2200D" (manufactured by Sanyo Kasei Co., Ltd.) was placed in this, and the opening was heat-sealed to form a gel for medical waste of the present invention. I made wood. Add 3 liters of water to medical waste including multiple used syringes (with needles), absorbent cotton containing blood, gauze, bandages, used ampoules, etc. that have been discarded in a 5 liter PVC container, and then add the above The gelling material of the present invention prepared in 1. was put into the bag as it was, and lightly stirred with a wooden spatula having a length of 20 cm and a width of 3 cm. The whole gelled in about 45 seconds, and the medical waste could be covered with the gel-like substance (solid matter) easily in a short time.

[0025]

EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION In recent years, blood infection of pathogenic viruses such as AIDS and hepatitis B has become a social problem, and body fluids (blood, amniotic fluid, lymph fluid, etc.) produced during surgery and childbirth, used syringes, blood There is a demand for safe handling of medical waste, including absorbent cotton, gauze, and bandages. For example, a method is known in which body fluids generated during surgery are collected in a prescribed container and incinerated.However, if the container is damaged or accidentally spilled during transportation to the incinerator, the body fluid will be To start flowing
It will penetrate into the ground and become difficult to collect. Therefore, when the gelling material of the present invention and the method of the present invention are applied, the liquid body fluid is solidified (gelled), so that even if the container is cracked, the body fluid does not flow out from the inside and Even if it spills, it can be collected easily with a broom and is safe. The gelling material of the present invention and the method of the present invention further exhibit the following effects. (1) Since the water-absorbent material is wrapped in water-disintegratable paper and / or a water-soluble film, it does not spill or generate dust during handling as in the conventional case. (2) When inputting into medical waste, quantify as before,
You don't have to sprinkle it, so it doesn't take long,
It's simple. (3) Since the water absorption capacity is large, the addition amount can be small. (4) Even if external pressure is applied after absorbing water, the once absorbed water is not released. (5) Conventionally, when a liquid body fluid is directly charged into a combustion furnace, the temperature inside the furnace sharply drops, so it is necessary to gradually add it by spraying, etc., which requires large-scale equipment and also controls the temperature inside the furnace. difficult. Therefore, if the body fluid is gelled (solidified) and then put into the furnace by the method of the present invention, similar to the case of burning wet raw wood, a rapid decrease in the temperature inside the furnace is not seen, and combustion It's easy. Because of the above effects, the gelling material of the present invention and the gelling method of the present invention are useful for treating medical waste generated from medical facilities such as hospitals, maternity hospitals and public health centers.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of a gelling material of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Water-disintegratable paper 2 Water-soluble Poval film (1 and 2 are bonded) 3 Granular water absorbent resin 4 Heat seal part

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A gelling material for medical waste, comprising a water-absorbing material made of powdery or granular water-absorbing resin and wrapped in water-disintegrating paper. 2. A gelling material for medical waste, comprising a water-absorbing material made of a powdery or granular water-absorbing resin and wrapped in a water-soluble film. 3. A gelling material for medical waste, comprising a water-absorbing material made of powdery or granular water-absorbing resin and wrapped in a laminate sheet in which a water-disintegrating paper and a water-soluble film are bonded together. 4. The method according to claim 1, further comprising a filler.
3. The gelling material for medical waste according to any one of 3 above. 5. A method of gelling medical waste, comprising pouring the gelling material according to any one of claims 1 to 4 into medical waste containing water to cause gelation.