# US 8,110,604 B2 · Methods and composition for treating a material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,110,604 B2 - Document ID: US8110604B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 11/486,736 - Filed: 2006-07-14 - Published: 2011-04-07 - Granted: 2012-02-07 - Earliest claimed: 2006-07-14 - Assignees: UrthTech, LLC - Inventors: Aziz C. Awad - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8110604B2 ## CPC - A01N 31/02: Acyclic compounds - A61P 31/02: Local antiseptics - A01N: PRESERVATION OF BODIES OF HUMANS OR ANIMALS OR PLANTS OR PARTS THEREOF (preservation of food or foodstuff A23); BIOCIDES, e.g. AS DISINFECTANTS, AS PESTICIDES OR AS HERBICIDES (preparations for medical, dental or toiletry purposes which kill or prevent the growth or proliferation of unwanted organisms A61K); PEST REPELLANTS OR ATTRACTANTS; PLANT GROWTH REGULATORS - A61P: SPECIFIC THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY OF CHEMICAL COMPOUNDS OR MEDICINAL PREPARATIONS ## Abstract A composition and method are described for sanitizing or otherwise treating a material such as a non-living surface, living tissue, soil or atmosphere which may be contaminated by a toxin, chemical warfare agent, insect, prion, microorganism or other infectious agent. Also described are methods of making the composition. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for sanitizing a material which comprises: (a) providing an aqueous composition which comprises a mixture of a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a fatty acid derivative which is a salt or ester at a pH of about 14 or above, wherein the fatty acid derivative is between about 0.1% and 25% by weight of the composition; (b) applying the composition to the material in an effective amount to sanitize the material; and (c) optionally removing a resulting composition of step (b). ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the fatty acid is a sodium (Na), potassium (K), lithium (Li), calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg) salt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of a fatty acid comprising 4 to 22 carbon atoms. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of lauric acid. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid derivative is potassium laurate. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an ester selected from the group consisting of a butyl ester, ethyl ester, methyl ester, fatty acyl-Coenzyme A, sucrose ester and a monoglyceride. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7 wherein the monoglyceride comprises a glycerol moiety attached by ester or ether linkage to one or more fatty acids having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms or to one or more saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the toxin on the material sanitized is a Stachybotrys toxin. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the microorganism or other infectious agent on the material sanitized is a fungus, a bacterium, a fungal spore, a bacterial spore, a virus or a conformationally altered prion. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the fungal spore on the material sanitized is a Stachybotrys chartarum spore. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the bacterial spore on the material sanitized is a Bacillus atropheus spore. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein the chemical warfare agent on the material sanitized is VX, mustard, sarin, soman, or tabun. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 wherein the conformationally altered prion on the material sanitized is selected from the group consisting of CJD, CWD, BSE, and Scrapie. ### Claim 15 A composition which comprises in a mixture: (a) a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; and (b) a fatty acid derivative which is a salt or ester soluble in the alkanol, wherein the composition has a pH of 14 or above and wherein the fatty acid derivative is between about 0.1% to 25% by weight of the composition. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 is an aqueous solution. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the lower alkanol is methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol, n-butanol or mixtures thereof. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The composition of claim 18 wherein the fatty acid is a sodium (Na), potassium (K), lithium (Li), calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg) salt. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The composition of claim 18 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of a fatty acid comprising 4 to 22 carbon atoms. ### Claim 21 (depends on 20) The composition of claim 20 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of lauric acid. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The composition of claim 21 wherein the fatty acid derivative is potassium laurate. ### Claim 23 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an ester selected from the group consisting of a butyl ester, ethyl ester, methyl ester, fatty acyl-Coenzyme A, sucrose ester and a monoglyceride. ### Claim 24 (depends on 23) The composition of claim 23 wherein the monoglyceride comprises a glycerol moiety attached by ester or ether linkage to one or more fatty acids having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms or to one or more saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms. ### Claim 25 (depends on 15) The composition of claim 15 further comprising one or more ingredients selected from the group consisting of thickeners, emollients, moisturizers, corrosion inhibitors, propellants, perfumes, flavoring agents, defoamers, antioxidants and dyes. ### Claim 26 A method of treating a material, which comprises: (a) providing an aqueous composition which comprises a mixture of a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms and a fatty acid derivative which is a salt or ester at a pH of about 14 or above, wherein the fatty acid derivative is between about 0.1% and 25% by weight of the composition; and (b) applying the composition to the material in an effective amount to treat the material. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The method of claim 26 wherein a resulting composition of step (b) is removed from the material. ### Claim 28 A method of making a composition, which comprises: (a) providing a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; (b) providing a fatty acid derivative which is a salt or ester soluble in the alkanol; and (c) mixing the lower alkanol and fatty acid derivative to provide the composition, wherein the composition has a pH of 14 or above and wherein the fatty acid derivative is between about 0.1% to 25% by weight of the composition. ### Claim 29 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28 wherein the lower alkanol is ethanol. ### Claim 30 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline earth metal salt. ### Claim 31 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 wherein the fatty acid is a sodium (Na), potassium (K), lithium (Li), calcium (Ca) or magnesium (Mg) salt. ### Claim 32 (depends on 30) The method of claim 30 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of a fatty acid comprising 4 to 22 carbon atoms. ### Claim 33 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an alkali or alkaline metal salt of lauric acid. ### Claim 34 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28 wherein the fatty acid derivative is potassium laurate. ### Claim 35 (depends on 28) The method of claim 28 wherein the fatty acid derivative is an ester selected from the group consisting of a butyl ester, ethyl ester, methyl ester, fatty acyl-Coenzyme A, sucrose ester and a monoglyceride. ### Claim 36 (depends on 35) The method of claim 35 wherein the monoglyceride comprises a glycerol moiety attached by ester or ether linkage to one or more fatty acids having from 4 to 22 carbon atoms or to one or more saturated or unsaturated fatty alcohols having from 8 to 16 carbon atoms. ### Claim 37 A method of making a composition, which comprises: (a) providing a lower alkanol containing 1 to 6 carbon atoms; (b) providing a fatty acid; (c) providing an alkalinating agent; and (d) mixing the lower alkanol, fatty acid and alkalinating agent to provide the composition, wherein the composition has a pH of 14 or above and wherein the fatty acid derivative is between about 0.1% to 25% by weight of the composition. ### Claim 38 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the lower alkanol is ethanol. ### Claim 39 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the fatty acid is a fatty acid comprising 4 to 22 carbon atoms. ### Claim 40 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the fatty acid is lauric acid. ### Claim 41 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the alkalinating agent is selected from the group consisting of an alkali metal hydroxide, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkali metal or hydrogen carbonates and mixtures thereof. ### Claim 42 (depends on 32) The method of claim 32 wherein the alkalinating agent is selected from the group consisting of ammonium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, calcium hydroxide, magnesium hydroxide, sodium carbonate, sodium hydrogen carbonate, and mixtures thereof.