Anti-corrosion detergent compositions and use of same in cleaning dental and medical instruments

Abstract

A novel method for cleaning dental and medical instruments is disclosed, in which a cleaning solution including a low-residue corrosion inhibitor is used not only in a wash stage of the cleaning cycle, but also in at least one subsequent rinse cycle, to optimize both cleaning and rust prevention. A novel cleaning solution particularly suited to this method has a neutral to alkaline pH and comprises in aqueous solution a low-foaming surfactant and a corrosion inhibitor selected from the group of C4-C16 alkyl pyrrolidones and C1-C18 alkylamines.

1 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition for use in cleaning dental and medical instruments, comprising in aqueous solution:
 (a) from 0.005 to 10% of a low-foaming surfactant;   (b) from 0.005 to 10% of a corrosion inhibiting compound selected from C4-C16 alkyl pyrrolidones and C1-C18 alkylamines;   (c) from 0.01 to 15% of a builder compound to prevent the formation of precipitates by reaction of metal ions in the aqueous solution with said surfactant; and   (d) from 0% to 20% of a hydrotrope,   
       wherein the pH of said anti-corrosion detergent composition is neutral to alkaline. 
     
     
         2 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 1 , having a pH of from 7 to 12. 
     
     
         3 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 2 , wherein said low-foaming surfactant is selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block co-polymers, having a polyoxypropylene molecular weight of from about 1500 to 8500, of which less than about 30% of the total molecular weight is due to the polyoxypropylene. 
     
     
         4 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 2 , wherein said builder compound is selected from the group consisting of 1-hydroxyethylidiene, 1,1 diphosphonic acid, amino tri (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylenetriaminepenta (methylene phosphonic acid), 2-hydroxyethylimoino bis (methylene phosphonic acid), ethylene diamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid), EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), HEDTA (N-(hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid), NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid), 2-hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, sodium or potassium tripolyphosphate, citric acid, glycolic acid, sodium tetraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and mixtures thereof. 
     
     
         5 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 2 , wherein said hydrotrope is selected from the group consisting of sodium xylene sulfonate, sodium cumene sulfonate, C6-18 alkyl sulphonic acids and salts thereof, C6-C20 alkylpolyglocosides, and C6-C16 diphenyloxide disulphonate. 
     
     
         6 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition for use in cleaning dental and medical instruments, comprising, in aqueous solution:
 (a) from 0.005 to 10% of a low-foaming surfactant selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene/polyoxypropylene block co-polymers, having a polyoxypropylene molecular weight of from about 1500 to 8500, of which less than about 30% of the total molecular weight is due to the polyoxypropylene;   (b) from 0.005 to 10% of a corrosion inhibiting compound selected from C4-C16 alkyl pyrrolidones or C1-C18 alkylamines;   (c) a builder compound to prevent the formation of precipitates by reaction of a metal in the aqueous solution with the surfactant, selected from the group consisting of 1-hydroxyethylidiene, 1,1 diphosphonic acid, amino tri (methylene phosphonic acid), diethylenetriaminepenta(methylene phosphonic acid), 2-hydroxyethylimino bis(methylene phosphonic acid), ethylene diamine tetra (methylene phosphonic acid), EDTA (ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid), DTPA (diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid), HEDTA (N-(hydroxyethyl)-ethylenediaminetriacetic acid), NTA (nitrilotriacetic acid), 2-hydroxyethyliminodiacetic acid, sodium or potassium tripolyphosphate, citric acid, sodium tetraphosphate, sodium hexametaphosphate, and mixtures thereof;   (d) from 0% to 20% of a hydrotrope selected from the group consisting of sodium xylene sulfonate, sodium cumene sulfonate, C6-18 alkyl sulphonic acids and salts thereof, C6-C20 alkylpolyglocosides, and C6-C16 diphenyloxide disulphonate,   
       wherein the pH of the aqueous solution is from 7 to 12. 
     
     
         7 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 6 , further comprising from 0.001 to 20% of a solvent selected from the group consisting of glycols, glycol ethers, C1 to C6 linear or branched alcohols and aromatic alcohols. 
     
     
         8 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 6 , further comprising from 0.001 to 10% of a buffer selected from the group consisting of boric acid, citric acid, phosphoric acid and salts thereof. 
     
     
         9 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 6 , comprising from 0.01 to 10% of a further surfactant selected from non-ionic, anionic, cationic and amphoteric surfactants. 
     
     
         10 . An anti-corrosion detergent composition according to  claim 6 , comprising from 0.01% to 10% of a further anti-corrosion compound selected from the group consisting of alkali metal molybdates, alkali metal nitrites, triazoles, gluconates and carboxylic acids. 
     
     
         11 - 16 . (canceled)