# US 2020/0399561 A1 · Reduction of surface tension, interfacial tension, and critical mi celle concentration using a protein-based surf act ant synergist > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2020/0399561 A1 - Document ID: US20200399561A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 17/010,453 - Filed: 2020-09-02 - Published: 2020-12-24 - Earliest claimed: 2004-04-29 - Assignees: Advanced BioCatalytics Corporation - Applicants: Advanced Biocatalytics Corporation - Inventors: John W. Baldridge; Carl W. Podella - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20200399561A1 ## CPC - C11D 3/38: Products with no well-defined composition {, e.g. natural products} - C11D 1/02: Anionic compounds {(C11D1/002, C11D1/004, C11D1/008 take precedence)} - C11D 1/123: {derived from carboxylic acids, e.g. sulfosuccinates} - C11D 1/662: {Carbohydrates or derivatives} - C11D 1/667: {Neutral esters, e.g. sorbitan esters} - C11D 3/381: {Microorganisms} - C11D 3/384: Animal products - C11D: DETERGENT COMPOSITIONS; USE OF SINGLE SUBSTANCES AS DETERGENTS; SOAP OR SOAP-MAKING; RESIN SOAPS; RECOVERY OF GLYCEROL ## Abstract Surfactant-containing compositions are described which include a protein component that has the effect of improving the surface-active properties of the surfactants contained in the compositions. The surfactant-containing compositions having the protein component demonstrate significantly lower critical micelle concentrations (CMC), reduced surface tensions, and reduced interfacial tensions than do comparable compositions having no protein component. In addition, the surfactant-containing compositions having the protein component has the effect of converting greasy waste contaminants to surface active materials. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of making a surfactant composition, the method comprising: providing a detersive surfactant package of one or more surfactants; providing a protein component comprising a mixture of multiple intracellular proteins, at least a portion of the mixture including yeast polypeptides obtained from fermenting yeast cells and yeast heat shock proteins resulting from subjecting a mixture obtained from the yeast fermentation to stress, the protein component having a concentration sufficient to substantially increase the surface activity of the one or more surfactants relative to the surface activity of the one or more surfactants in the absence of the protein component, and combining the detersive surfactant and protein component to obtain a surfactant composition. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said detersive surfactant further comprises a nonionic surfactant or an anionic surfactant. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising providing an adjunct detergent ingredient. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The method of claim 3, wherein said adjunct detergent ingredient comprises one or more neutralizer selected from the group consisting of monoethanolamine (MEA), diethanolamine (DEA), and triethanolamine (TEA). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said adjunct detergent ingredients comprise a hydrotropic agent. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, wherein said hydrotropic agent comprises ethanol. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein said adjunct detergent ingredients comprise a protein stabilizer. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The method of claim 6, wherein said protein stabilizer comprises one or more of propylene glycol or borax. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the mixture of multiple intracellular proteins comprises the product of a fermentation of a plurality of yeast cells in the presence of a nutrient source. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the fermenting yeast cells comprise one or more of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Kluyveromyces marxianus, Kluyveromyces lactis, Candida utilis, zygosaccharomyces, pichia, or hansanula. ### Claim 11 (depends on 8) The method of claim 8, wherein the nutrient source comprises a sugar. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the nutrient source further comprises one or more of diastatic malt, diammonium phosphate, magnesium sulfate, ammonium sulfate zinc sulfate, and ammonia. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the detersive surfactant package comprises a total surfactant concentration of from about 6% by weight to about 24% by weight. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the stress is selected from the group consisting of heat stress, chemical stress, and physical stress. ### Claim 15 A method of making a surfactant composition, comprising: providing a detersive surfactant package of one or more surfactants; providing at least one adjunct detergent ingredient, providing a protein component comprising a mixture of multiple intracellular proteins, at least a portion of the mixture including yeast polypeptides obtained from fermenting yeast cells and yeast heat shock proteins resulting from subjecting a mixture obtained from the yeast fermentation to stress, the protein component having a concentration sufficient to substantially increase the surface activity of the one or more surfactants relative to the surface activity of the one or more surfactants in the absence of the protein component, and combining the detersive surfactant, adjunct detergent ingredient, and protein component to obtain a surfactant composition, wherein the detersive surfactant package comprises a total surfactant concentration of from about 6% by weight to about 24% by weight and wherein said detersive surfactant further comprises a nonionic surfactant or an anionic surfactant. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein said adjunct detergent ingredients comprise a protein stabilizer. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, wherein the stress is selected from the group consisting of heat stress, chemical stress, and physical stress. ### Claim 18 A method of making a surfactant composition, comprising: providing a detersive surfactant package of one or more surfactants; providing at least one adjunct detergent ingredient, providing a protein component comprising a mixture of multiple intracellular proteins, at least a portion of the mixture including yeast polypeptides obtained from fermenting yeast cells and yeast heat shock proteins resulting from subjecting a mixture obtained from the yeast fermentation to stress, the protein component having a concentration sufficient to substantially increase the surface activity of the one or more surfactants relative to the surface activity of the one or more surfactants in the absence of the protein component, and combining the detersive surfactant, adjunct detergent ingredient, and protein component to obtain a surfactant composition, wherein the stress is selected from the group consisting of heat stress, chemical stress, and physical stress and wherein said detersive surfactant further comprises a nonionic surfactant or an anionic surfactant. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, wherein said adjunct detergent ingredients comprise a protein stabilizer.