Methods for the control of arthropods using near-ideal gas phase hydrogen peroxide
Inventors
Lee, James D. • Bosma, Douglas J.
Assignees
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Publication Number
US-9924722-B1
Publication Date
2018-03-27
Expiration Date
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to methods and devices for controlling arthropods, including insects and arachnids in an environment. The methods generally comprise: generating a near-ideal gas Purified Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (PHPG) that is substantially non-hydrated (e.g., in the form of water in solution or water in solution or water molecules bonded by covalence, van der Waals forces, or London forces) and substantially free of, e.g., ozone, plasma species, and/or organic species; and directing the gas comprising primarily PHPG into the environment such that the PHPG acts to control arachnids in the environment. In certain aspects, the arachnids may be totally or partially killed.
Core Innovation
A near-ideal, substantially non-hydrated Purified Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (PHPG) is generated and provided as a PHPG-containing environment. The PHPG is substantially free of ozone, including embodiments where ozone is less than 0.015 parts per million (ppm).
The approach is applied by directing the PHPG into an environment for controlling insects and arthropods by maintaining the PHPG-containing environment for a time period sufficient to control the insects. The document links the control mechanism to PHPG diffusion into tracheal tubes and book lung tissues, and it characterizes the PHPG gas as substantially non-hydrated, with reduced hydration relative to a hydrated hydrogen peroxide gas.
The document further provides mechanistic and safety rationale for producing ozone-free PHPG and for maintaining ozone below a stated bound while achieving the specified PHPG concentrations. It also documents reported efficacy outcomes such as repellency, knockdown, and mortality, along with behavioral and physiological effects attributed to the PHPG-containing environment.
Claims Coverage
The partial claims provided include two independent claims. Across the independent claims, the inventive coverage focuses on ozone-bounded PHPG at a specified ppm range, maintaining the PHPG-containing environment for a time sufficient to control insects, and limiting the insect scope to specified phylogenetic orders; one independent claim additionally narrows the treated environment to a grocery store setting.
Ozone-bounded PHPG concentration for insect control
Provide Purified Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (PHPG) to said environment to prepare a PHPG containing environment having PHPG gas at a final concentration between 0.05 and 5.0 parts per million and less than 0.015 parts per million (ppm) of ozone.
Time sufficient to control insects
Maintain said PHPG containing environment for a time period sufficient to control said insects.
Insect orders selected from Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera
Control insects that are members of the phylogenetic orders selected from the group consisting of Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera.
Ozone-bounded PHPG concentration in grocery store
Provide Purified Hydrogen Peroxide Gas (PHPG) to said grocery store to prepare a PHPG containing grocery store having PHPG gas at a final concentration of between 0.1 and 5.0 parts per million and less than 0.015 parts per million (ppm) of ozone.
Grocery store environment for insect control
Maintain said PHPG containing environment for a time period sufficient to control said insects in a grocery store setting.
Insect orders selected for grocery store control
Select the insects from the group consisting of Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera.
Across the two independent claims, the claimed subject matter centers on insect control by maintaining an ozone-bounded PHPG-containing environment with PHPG gas in a specified ppm range, maintained for a time sufficient to control insects, with insect scope limited to Diptera, Lepidoptera, Coleoptera, and Hymenoptera. One claim further requires the environment be a grocery store and uses a grocery-store PHPG concentration bound of 0.1 to 5.0 ppm.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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