Compositions, devices and methods for detecting biofilms

Abstract

Generation of foam when spraying biofilm-detection compositions onto a surface may entrain air and create bubbles, which lead to false positives. Aqueous biofilm-detecting compositions containing low-foaming surfactants, radical scavenger, solvent, thickener, hydrogen peroxide, chelating and coupling agent may be sprayed onto a surface to test for the presence of biofilm without generating excess bubbles or foam.

I/We claim: 
     
         1 . An aqueous biofilm-detecting composition, wherein the composition is reactive to biofilm on a hard surface, the biofilm-detecting composition comprising:
 (i) radical scavenger;   (j) solvent;   (k) thickener;   (l) hydrogen peroxide;   (m) chelating agent;   (n) coupling agent; and   (o) Low-Foaming surfactant.   
     
     
         2 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , comprising by weight percentage of the composition:
 (a) from about 0.001% to about 0.3% radical scavenger;   (b) from about 5% to about 22% solvent;   (c) from about 0.01% to about 1% thickener;   (d) from about 1% to about 10% hydrogen peroxide;   (e) from about 0.01% to about 0.1% chelating agent;   (f) from about 1% to about 10% coupling agent; and   (g) from about 0.1% to about 3% Low-Foaming surfactant.   
     
     
         3 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 2 , comprising by weight percentage of the composition:
 (a) from about 0.08% to about 0.1% radical scavenger; and   (e) from about 0.05 to about 0.07% chelating agent.   
     
     
         4 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Low-Foaming surfactant has a structure according to Formula I: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:
 R 1  is selected from an alkyl group having between from 6 and to 22 carbon atoms, 
 or a substituted aryl group having between from 7 and to 22 carbon atoms, 
 R 2  is comprises from 0 to 7 moles of alkoxylated units, and 
 R 3  and R 4  are each at least one alkoxylated unit; and 
 
         further wherein and the total number of alkoxylated units present in R 3  and R 4  is from about 2 to about 30. 
       
     
     
         5 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the Low-Foaming surfactant has a structure according to Formula II: 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
         wherein:
 R 1  is selected from an alkyl group having between 6 and 22 carbon atoms or a substituted aryl group having between 7 and 22 carbon atoms or, 
 R 3  and R 4  are each at least one alkoxylated unit, and 
 
         further wherein the total number of alkoxylated units present in R 3  and R 4  is about 2 to 30. 
       
     
     
         6 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the surfactant has a hydrophobic-lipophilic balance of from about 6 to less than 10. 
     
     
         7 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , further comprising wetting agent further comprising wetting agent. 
     
     
         8 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the composition has a pH of from about 3 to less than 6. 
     
     
         9 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the radical scavenger is selected from the group of: alkyl gallates, hindered phenols, hydroquinone, trihydroxy butyrophenone and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 9 , wherein the radical scavenger is selected from the group of: butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, tertiary butylhydroquinone, tocopherols, tocopherol ester derivatives and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 1 , wherein the biofilm-detecting composition is substantially free of High-Foaming surfactant. 
     
     
         12 . A method of detecting biofilm on a hard surface, comprising:
 (a) spraying onto the surface a composition according to  claim 1 ;   (b) allowing the composition to act for a period of time; and   (c) visually inspecting the surface for bubbles/foam.   
     
     
         13 . An aqueous biofilm-detecting composition, wherein the composition is reactive to biofilm on a surface, the biofilm-detecting composition comprising:
 (a) radical scavenger;   (b) solvent;   (c) thickener;   (d) hydrogen peroxide;   (e) chelating agent;   (f) coupling agent; and   (g) surfactant having a Ross-Miles Initial Foam Height of greater than zero and less than about 5 cm, when the surfactant is measured at 1 weight percent of active surfactant in deionized at 25° C. using ASTM D1173-53.   
     
     
         14 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 13 , comprising by weight percentage of the composition:
 (a) from about 0.08% to about 0.1% radical scavenger; and   (e) from about 0.05 to about 0.07% chelating agent.   
     
     
         15 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 13 , wherein the radical scavenger is selected from the group of: butylated hydroxytoluene, butylated hydroxyanisole, tertiary butylhydroquinone, tocopherols, tocopherol ester derivatives and combinations thereof and the chelating agent is selected from the group of: phosphonic and polyamino phosphonic acids (such as 1-hydroxyethilidene 1,1-diphosphonic acid, aminotris (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene triamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid)), ethylidenediamine tris(methylene phosphonic acid), hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid), and their potassium and sodium salts), water soluble alkali metal stannates (such as sodium stannate) and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         16 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 13 , further comprising wetting agent selected from the group of: polyethylene glycols having a molecular weight between from about 20 to about 2,000, from about 100 to about 1,000 or from about 200 to about 500 Daltons, EO/PO block copolymers, alkyl sulfosuccinates and their salts, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         17 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition is reactive to biofilm on a hard surface. 
     
     
         18 . The biofilm-detecting composition of  claim 13 , wherein the composition is reactive to biofilm on a surface selected from the group of metallic surfaces, glass surfaces, ceramic surfaces, porcelain surfaces, plastic surfaces and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         19 . An aqueous biofilm-detecting composition, wherein the composition is reactive to biofilm on a surface, the biofilm-detecting composition comprising by weight percentage of the composition:
 (a) from about 0.001% to about 0.3% radical scavenger selected from the group of selected from the group of: butylated hydroxytoluene (“BHT”), butylated hydroxyanisole (“BHA”), tertiary butylhydroquinone (“TBHQ”), tocopherols, tocopherol ester derivatives and combinations thereof;   (b) from about 5% to about 22% solvent;   (c) from about 0.01% to about 1% thickener;   (d) from about 1% to about 10% hydrogen peroxide;   (e) from about 0.01% to about 0.1% chelating agent selected from the group of: phosphonic and polyamino phosphonic acids (such as 1-hydroxyethilidene 1,1-diphosphonic acid, aminotris (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylenetriamine penta(methylene phosphonic acid), bis(hexamethylene triamine penta(methylenephosphonic acid)), ethylidenediamine tris(methylene phosphonic acid), hexamethylenediamine tetra(methylene phosphonic acid), and their potassium and sodium salts), water soluble alkali metal stannates (such as sodium stannate) and combinations thereof;   (f) from about 1% to about 10% coupling agent selected from the group of sodium, potassium and ammonium salts of alkyl aryl sulfonates (such as xylene sulfonate, toluene sulfonate and cumene sulfonate) and combinations thereof; and   (g) from about 0.1% to about 3% Low-Foaming surfactant.   
     
     
         20 . A method of detecting biofilm on a hard surface, comprising:
 (a) spraying onto the surface a composition according to  claim 19 ;   (b) allowing the composition to act for a period of time; and   (c) visually inspecting the surface for bubbles/foam.