Detergent compositions

Abstract

Detergent compositions containing high efficiency lipase enzymes and specific detergent formulations comprising less than 10 wt % zeolite and phosphate builder are described. Preferred formulations comprise surfactants selected from alkyl benzene sulphonates in combination with alky ethoxylated sulfates or MES or non-ionic surfactants.

1 . A detergent composition comprising from 0 to 10 wt % aluminosilicate (anhydrous basis) and/or phosphate builder, said composition having a reserve alkalinity of greater than 4, and said composition comprising a lipase which is a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence which: (a) has at least 90% identity with the wild-type lipase derived from  Humicola lanuginosa  strain DSM 4109; (b) compared to said wild-type lipase, comprises a substitution of an electrically neutral or negatively charged amino acid at the surface of the three-dimensional structure within 15 Å of E1 or Q249 with a positively charged amino acid; and (c) comprises a peptide addition at the C-terminal; and/or (d) comprises a peptide addition at the N-terminal; and/or (e) meets the following limitations: i) comprises a negative amino acid in position E210 of said wild-type lipase; ii) comprises a negatively charged amino acid in the region corresponding to positions 90-101 of said wild-type lipase; and iii) comprises a neutral or negative amino acid at a position corresponding to N94 of said wild-type lipase and/or has a negative or neutral net electric charge in the region corresponding to positions 90-101 of said wild-type lipase.  
   
   
       2 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  comprising from 0 to 8 wt % aluminosilicate and/or phosphate builder.  
   
   
       3 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  comprising from 0 to less than 5 wt % aluminosilicate (anhydrous basis) and/or phosphate.  
   
   
       4 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  having a reserve alkalinity greater than 7.5.  
   
   
       5 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  additionally comprising from 0.1 to 40 wt % alkoxylated alkyl sulphate surfactant and/or from 0.1 to 40 wt % C 1-4  alkyl ester sulphonate.  
   
   
       6 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  comprising from 0.1 to 40 wt % methyl ester sulphonate (MES).  
   
   
       7 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  additionally comprising a suds booster in an amount from 0.05 to 2 wt %.  
   
   
       8 . A detergent composition according to  claim 7  in which the suds booster is selected from the group consisting of fatty acid amides, fatty acid alkanolamides, betaines, sulfobetaines, amine oxides and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       9 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  additionally comprising from 0.05 to 5 wt % soil release polymer.  
   
   
       10 . A detergent composition according to  claim 9  wherein the soil release polymer is selected from modified cellulose ethers such as methyl hydroxyethyl cellulose (MHEC) or polyester-based soil release polymers and mixtures thereof.  
   
   
       11 . A detergent composition according to  claim 1  which is a solid detergent composition.  
   
   
       12 . A detergent composition according to  claim 11  which is in the form of granules.  
   
   
       13 . A washing process comprising laundering textile articles in an aqueous solution comprising the detergent composition according to  claim 1 .  
   
   
       14 . A washing process according to  claim 13  wherein said aqueous solution is at a temperature below 30° C.