Antimicrobial composition

Abstract

A composition that includes ethylhexyl sulfate or a salt thereof, an alkylbenzenesulfonic acid or a salt thereof, and a carrier. The ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof, and the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof, are present in a weight ratio of at least about 1:2. The composition can be used for killing or inhibiting a microorganism or pathogen (e.g., bacteria, gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria, enteric bacteria, virus, fungus, mold, mildew or powdery mildew).

1 . A method of killing or inhibiting a microorganism or a pathogen located on a surface of a plant, the method comprising contacting the microorganism or the pathogen with an effective amount of a composition comprising:
 (a) ethylhexyl sulfate of the formula   
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a salt thereof; and
 (b) an alkylbenzenesulfonic acid of the formula 
 
       
         
           
           
               
               
           
         
       
       or a salt thereof, wherein n is about 5 to about 20; and
 (c) a carrier comprising water; 
 wherein the ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof, and the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof, are present in a weight ratio such that based upon a weight basis, the amount of ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof, is at least 100% that of the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof, and is no more than 300% of the alkylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof; 
 wherein the composition further comprises at least one of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide such that the pH of the composition contacting the microorganism or pathogen is above about 6; 
 for a period of time effective to kill or inhibit the microorganism or the pathogen. 
 
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein n has an average value of about 9 to about 11. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium hydroxide, potassium hydroxide, or combination thereof is present in ratio of less than about 1:4, relative to the ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition comprises:
 (a) at least about 4 wt. % ethylhexyl sulfate, or salt thereof;   (b) at least about 6 wt. % dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid, or salt thereof;   (c) at least about 0.5 wt. % sodium hydroxide, and   (d) water.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or the pathogen is at least one of a bacteria, a virus, a fungus, a mold and a mildew. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or pathogen is at least one of a gram-negative bacteria, gram-positive bacteria and an enteric bacteria. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the period of time effective to kill or inhibit the microorganism or the pathogen is less than about 30 seconds. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  1 , wherein the plant is afflicted, or at risk thereof, with at least one of a bacterial disease and a fungal disease. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated as a fluid liquid. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition is formulated for application by spraying the composition. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition optionally comprises a disinfectant selected from the group consisting of chlorine gas (Cl 2 ), ozone (O 3 ), lactic acid, ultraviolet light, peroxides, peracetic acid, potassium sorbate, lactic acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the composition does not comprise chlorine dioxide. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting the microorganism or the pathogen comprises contacting an edible part of the plant. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting the microorganism or the pathogen comprises contacting the plant before harvesting. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the contacting the microorganism or the pathogen comprises contacting the plant after harvesting. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or pathogen comprises at least one of:
 bacteria,   gram-negative bacteria,   gram-positive bacteria,   enteric bacteria,   virus,   DNA virus,   reverse transcribing virus,   fungus,   rice blast fungus,   tree pathogen,   plant pathogen,   fungi,   mold,   mildew,   downy mildew, and   powdery mildew.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant comprises at least one of:
 leafy and salad vegetables,   fruiting and flowering vegetables,   podded vegetables,   bulb and stem vegetables, and   root and tuberous vegetables.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the plant is afflicted with, or at risk of, at least one of the following diseases or disorders:
 bacterial canker,   bacterial speck,   bacterial spot,   bacterial stem rot and fruit rot,   bacterial wilt,   pith necrosis,     syringae  leaf spot,     alternaria  stem canker,   anthracnose,   black mold rot,   black root rot,   black shoulder,   buckeye fruit and root rot,     cercospora  leaf mold,   charcoal rot,   corky root rot,     didymella  stem rot,   early blight,     fusarium  crown and root rot,     fusarium  wilt,   gray leaf spot,   gray mold,   late blight,   leaf mold,     phoma  rot,   powdery mildew,     pythium  damping-off and fruit rot,     rhizoctonia  damping-off and fruit rot,     rhizopus  rot,     septoria  leaf spot,   sour rot,   southern blight,   target spot,     verticillium  wilt, and   white mold.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 1 , which effectively washes the plant. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or pathogen comprises at least one of:
   Acinetobacter;        Aeromonas;        Aspergillus;        Bacillus;        Campylobacter;        Candida;        Clostridium;        Coronavirus;        Corynebacterium;        Enterobacter;        Enterococcus;        Escherichia coli;        Influenzavirus;        Klebsiella;        Listeria;        Plesiomonas;        Proteus;        Pseudomonas;        Rhinovirus;        Rotavirus;        Rhizopus;        Salmonella;        Serratia;        Shigella;        Simplexvirus;        Staphylococcus;        Streptococcus;        Trichophyton;        Yersinia ; and     Vibrio.      
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or the pathogen is contacted with an effective amount of the composition in combination with another substance known to kill or inhibit a microorganism or a pathogen. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the microorganism or the pathogen is contacted with an effective amount of the composition in combination with another substance known to wash plants.