Effective cleaning of oil- and grease-related soiling is a slippery issue in industrial, commercial and consumer uses. The performance of cleaners must be balanced with environmental and personal safety issues with today\u2019s products. Most slip-and-falls are related to soiled floors, with more than 4 million reported annually in the U.S. restaurant industry alone. Almost all industries mop floors regularly to maintain a clean appearance and safe environment, commonly used cleaners are based on caustic\/surfactant formulations, which leave a filmy residue after mopping that makes the floor slippery once the \u201cclean\u201d floor gets wet. The residue has many sources: emulsified oil that turns into soap from hardness in the water, \u201cbuilders\u201d in the cleaners and un-emulsified oil, to name a few. In the past, surfactants have been used to modify the physico-chemical characteristics of proteins, such as solubility, binding properties, tertiary structure. However, little is known about the converse effect of proteins on surfactants. The addition of a complex mixture of low molecular weight proteins, peptides, co-factors and minerals derived from fermentation (the \u201cprotein bundle\u201d) to various surfactant systems has a marked ability to reduce surface tension and interfacial tension in aqueous solutions, while simultaneously decreasing the criticalmicelle concentration (CMC). The technology is termed Molecular Kinetics and is based on protein structure function and surface modification chemistry. FGX3 aids degradation of contaminants at the molecular level and, in certain cases, utilizes some of the degraded material to create new surfactant-like molecules, thereby establishing an ongoing \u201cautocatalytic\u201d process. This improves cleaning, sanitary conditions, environmental aspects and worker safety. CMC and Interfacial Tension properties of the Protein Surfactant Complexes (PSCs) protein bundle, , causes the CMC to decrease from 442 ppm to 75 ppm in sterile conditions and to 4 ppm when bacterial action is added (see table).\u00a0 Lowering the CMC means less surfactant can be used to clean a particular quantity of oil or other soiling factor, improving cost-effectiveness. In addition, lower surfactant levels mean there are fewer compounds in the cleaning formula, which helps to lower streaking on shiny surfaces. Interfacial tension is, by definition, the amount of work necessary to create a unit area of interface. Lowering the interfacial tension between the immiscible oil and water is a significant component of the cleaning mechanism of the protein-enhanced surfactant.<\/p>\n<\/div>
Improved Cleaning Utilizing the pendant drop test method and correlating the reduction of grease to the shift in CMC values, FGX3 manufacturers report that up to 35 percent of the breakdown products become water-soluble, surface-active agents themselves, depending on the type of oil. This effect multiplies the cleaning power as cleaning proceeds, which means that a lower level of cleaning solution is required compared to caustic or alkaline cleaners. By solubilizing fats and oils, streaking is eliminated on shiny surfaces such as tiles, glass and polished steel. Grease and oil breakdown, caused by the protein\/surfactant cleaner, simulates saponification, however it takes place at rather neutral pH values. Motor oils, suntan lotions and many synthetic oils are not saponified with caustic or solvent cleaners. The emulsions they form, coupled with \u201cbuilders\u201d, create a residual film and increase the tendency for leaving streaks on surfaces. User Safety cases with caustic cleaners cite severe eye and skin damage and are clearly harmful if swallowed; there is minimal toxicological risk with the protein cleaner. Cleaners that use d-limonene as the active ingredient and \u201cbutyl\u201d cleaners with 2-butoxyethanol or similar compounds can be harmful, especially with continued exposure. These compounds are generally not recommended for use in a food environment due to their hazardous nature.<\/p>\n
The protein\/surfactant solution, however, meets FDA requirements for food contact, and toxicity tests show it is inherently safe. All materials utilized in the product are either on the Generally Regarded as Safe list or cleared for food contact under the U.S. Code of Federal Regulations for Food and Drugs. The pH of the neat solution is 4.5 and the diluted pH is typically between 5.5 to 6.5, which is in the range of human skin pH.<\/p>\n
Continuing Catalytic effects are further optimized under \u201cnon-sterile\u201d conditions. It is well known that many microorganisms adjust or change their environments by releasing various agents, and they utilize these secreted molecules for a number of purposes. Such environmental adjustments are a result of biological evolution, and it is extremely difficult to design a similar artificial composition, or even to simulate the natural process. However, it is possible to take advantage of and leverage those evolutionary developed microbial skills of the indigenous bacteria in commercial, residential, industrial and environmental applications. The company\u2019s findings observe the synergistic biodegradation effect of a bacterial spore-free, surface active formulation working in concert with existing, resident bacteria. The following are case studies using the Protein\/surfactant compositions, based on the \u201cprotein bundle,\u201d significantly enhancing the metabolism of the protein\/surfactant cleaner in various industries.<\/p>\n<\/div>