Iodine germicides that continuously generate free molecular iodine
AssigneeSymbollon Corporation
InventorsYongjun Duan, Jack Howard Kessler
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Abstract
A method for forming an iodine disinfecting solution that continuously generates free molecular iodine at a controlled average rate of at least 0.2 ppm per hour over a sustained and extended time period. The method involves combining persulfate anions and iodide anions in sufficient quantity in an aqueous medium having a resulting pH of less than about 6.5 so as to create an iodine generating capacity in said aqueous medium of between 1.5 and 6.5 with a generated concentration of at least 5 ppm of free molecular iodine and maintaining this concentration over the course of the extended time period.
Claims15
A method of preparing a disinfecting iodine solution in which free molecular iodine is generated at a controlled average rate of at least 0.2 ppm per hour over a sustained time period comprising the steps of:
- combining a persulfate anion having an initial minimum concentration of at least 100 ppm and an iodide anion having an initial minimum concentration of at least 50 ppm in an aqueous medium having a resulting pH of less than about 6.5 to cause the iodide to oxidize slowly and to form an iodide bank of excess iodide ions such that free molecular iodine is generated at a concentration of at least 5 ppm and at a controlled iodine generating capacity of between 1.5 and 36 with the iodide bank of excess iodide ions having an iodide concentration at least equal to the concentration at which the free molecular iodine is generated and with the generated level of free molecular iodine being sustained above said minimum concentration over a controlled time period until the iodide bank is essentially exhausted.
A disinfecting iodine composition which will cause a sustained release of free molecular iodine for an extended time period at a minimum concentration of 5 ppm when added to an aqueous medium comprising:
- a persulfate anion in a minimum initial concentration of 100 ppm;
- an iodide anion in a minimum initial concentration of 50 ppm;
- and
- a buffering agent to reduce the resulting pH of said aqueous medium to less than about 6.5 such that an iodide bank is formed in said aqueous medium having a reserve of iodide ions in a concentration at least equal to the concentration at which the free molecular iodine is generated whereby the Generation of free molecular iodine is sustained above said minimum concentration over the course of said time period and until the iodide bank is essentially exhausted.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.