Wipes and methods for removal of metal contamination from surfaces
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Department of Health and Human Services
InventorsEric J. Esswein, Mark F. Boeniger, Kevin E. Ashley
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Abstract
Wipes, methods and kits useful for testing and/or removal of metal from surfaces (such as, dermal surfaces) are disclosed. Exemplar wipes, including the combination of a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support, a cationic surfactant, and a weak acid, are disclosed. In some examples, the cationic surfactant is isostearamidopropyl morpholine lactate (ISML), and the weak acid is citric acid.
Claims27
A dermal surface wipe, comprising:
- a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support, wherein the absorbent support is textured with protrusions visible to the naked eve, such protrusions capable of providing frictional resistance when the absorbent support is moved across a dermal surface;
- isostearamidopropyl morpholine lactate (ISML) in the absorbent support;
- and
- citric acid in the absorbent support.
A wipe, consisting essentially of:
- a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support, wherein the absorbent support has a rough surface with a succession of ridges and grooves above the surface of the absorbent support that are visible to the naked eve;
- ISML;
- and
- a weak acid comprising citric acid, or acetic acid, or a combination thereof;
- wherein the amounts of ISML and the weak acid(s) in the wipe are sufficient to solubilize a metal comprising lead, cadmium, tin, barium, arsenic, chromium, copper, mercury, silver, zinc, strontium, thallium, germanium, or zirconium, or a combination thereof.
A method for removing metals from a surface, comprising:
- applying a cationic surfactant and a weak acid to a surface;
- and
- wiping the surface with a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support, wherein the support is textured with protrusions that are visible to the naked eye;
- wherein the protrusions frictionally engage the surface during wiping the surface to remove at least about 50% of at least one metal from the surface.
A method for removing lead from a dermal surface, the method comprising:
- (a) providing an absorbent support comprising:
- a three-dimensionally textured surface, wherein the textured surface has protrusions visible to the naked eye,
- at least about 50% (w/w) of a cationic surfactant,
- at least about 0.5% (w/w) of a weak acid;
- and
- (b) wiping a dermal surface with the absorbent support for about 10 seconds to about 1 minute to remove lead from the dermal surface.
A method for detecting and removing lead from a surface comprising:
- (a) detecting lead on a surface by a method comprising:
- (i) wiping the surface with a first wipe whereby residue containing lead contamination, if present on the surface, is retained and collected on the first wipe;
- (ii) solubilizing any lead collected on the first wipe with an acidic aqueous solution having a pH of about 1 to about 5, wherein the acidic solution is not present on the first wipe during step (i) and, wherein the lead is solubilized on the first wipe;
- (iii) treating the solubilized lead with an anion selected from the group consisting of rhodizonate or sulfide;
- and
- (iv) observing a color formed in step (iii);
- wherein, if lead is present on the surface, the color formed is pink to red if the anion is rhodizonate or the color is brown to black if the anion is sulfide;
- and
- (b) removing lead by wiping the surface with a second wipe comprising:
- (i) a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support,
- (ii) isostearamidopropyl morpholine lactate (ISML) in the absorbent support, and
- (iii) citric acid in the absorbent support.
A method for removing metal from a dermal surface, comprising:
- applying to a dermal surface contaminated by a metal amounts of ISML and citric acid sufficient to solubilize the metal;
- and
- removing the ISML, the citric acid, and the metal from the dermal surface by wiping the dermal surface with a three-dimensionally textured absorbent support. the support textured with protrusions visible to the naked eye, wherein the metal remaining on the dermal surface after wiping is an amount at least about 5% below a permissible exposure limit for the metal.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.