Absorbents for blood and serous body fluids

Abstract

The invention concerns an absorbent for blood and serous body fluids consisting of at least two components, A and B, whereby component A is a crosslinked synthetic or natural polymer or copolymer, and component B is an organic and/or inorganic compound which is water-soluble and solid at normal temperature. The absorbent contains 25 to 98 weight % of component A and 2 to 75 weight % of component B. The invention, moveover, concerns the use of the said absorbent for absorption and/or retention of blood and serous body fluids, in particular in absorbent throwaway articles for surgical, medical and hygienic purposes.

We claim: 
     
       1. An absorbent for blood or other serious body fluids comprising a physical mixture of components A and B wherein: component A is at least one compound selected from the group consisting of water-swellable and water-insoluble synthetic and natural polymers and copolymers; and   component B is at least one compound not harmful to health which is water soluble and present in the form of a pourable powder at ambient temperature selected from the group consisting of thiourea, methyl urea, ethyl urea, .[.acrylamide, methylacrylamide,.]. monosaccharides, oligosaccharides, inorganic acids .Iadd.and salts thereof.Iaddend., monocarboxylic .[.acid.]. .Iadd.acids.Iaddend., polycarboxylic .[.acid.]. .Iadd.acids, low molecular weight polymeric carboxylic and sulfonic acids and salts thereof.Iaddend., amides of carboxylic acids, salts of monocarboxylic acids and salts of polycarboxylic acids.   
     
     
       2. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein component A includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of polymers and copolymers of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid, and polymers and copolymers of salts and amides of acrylic acid or methacrylic acid. 
     
     
       3. An absorbent according to claim 2 wherein component A includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of (i) polymers of acrylic acid, methyacrylic acid, acrylamidomethylpropane sulphonic acid, the salts of the said acids, acrylamide and methacrylamide, (ii) copolymers of the foregoing with one another, and (iii) copolymers of the foregoing with vinyl pyrrolidone, vinyl acetone or both. 
     
     
       4. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein component A includes a cross-linked polysaccharide polymer or copolymer. 
     
     
       5. An absorbent according to claim 4 wherein said component A includes at least one cross-linked compound selected from the group consisting of starch, cellulose and derivatives thereof. 
     
     
       6. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein said component B includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of chlorides, bromides, iodides, sulphates, hydrosulphates, phosphates, hydrogen or dihydrogen phosphates, tetraborates, nitrates, carbonates and hydrogen carbonates. 
     
     
       7. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein component B includes at least one salt of a carboxylic acid selected from the group consisting of acetic, formic, adipic, citric and tartaric acids. 
     
     
       8. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein component B includes a salt of a polymeric carboxylic or sulphonic acid having a molecular weight ranging between 300 and 100,000, which polymeric acids are derived from homo- and copolymer of unsaturated mono and dicarboxylic acids, sulphonic acids, alcohols and copolymers of said acids with unsaturated aldehydes, or methacrylamide. 
     
     
       9. An absorbent according to claim 8 wherein said polymeric acid has a molecular weight between 2,000 and 20,000. 
     
     
       10. An absorbent according to claims 1 or 5 wherein said component B includes at least one salt selected from the group consisting of ammonium, sodium, potassium, lithium, calcium, magnesium, zinc, aluminium and iron salts not injurious to health of an organic or inorganic acid. 
     
     
       11. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein said inorganic acid includes phosphoric acid or boric acid. 
     
     
       12. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein said component B includes at least one compound selected from the group consisting of citric, tartaric and adipic acids. 
     
     
       13. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein said component B includes a low-molecular weight polymeric carboxylic or sulphonic acid having a molecular weight ranging from 300 to 100,000 grams per mole, .[.and.]. .Iadd.which .Iaddend.is based on a homo- or copolymer of .[.an.]. unsaturated mono or dicarboxylic .[.acid, or a copolymer of said acids with an unsaturated aldehyde or.]. .Iadd.acids, aldehydes, .Iaddend.sulphonic acid, alcohol, .Iadd.acrylamide .Iaddend.or methacrylamide. 
     
     
       14. An absorbent according to claim 13 wherein said polymeric acid has a molecular weight between 2,000 and 20,000. 
     
     
       15. An absorbent according to claim 14 wherein said component B includes glucose, fructose, mannose or saccharose. 
     
     
       16. An absorbent according to claim 1 wherein said absorbent contains from 10% to 98% by weight of component A and from 2% to 90% by weight of component B. 
     
     
       17. An absorbent according to claim 16 wherein said absorbent contains from 50% to 90% by weight of component A and from 10% to 59% by weight of component B. 
     
     
       18. An article for use in absorbing blood or other serous fluids comprising a textile or paper support which carries an effective amount of an absorbent according to claim 1. 
     
     
       19. The method for absorbing blood or serous body fluids comprising contacting the blood or serous body fluid to be absorbed with an effective amount of an absorbent according to claim 1.