1. A composition for preparing a bio-film resistant surface comprising
(a) one or more antimicrobial agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 7.0% weightvolume (wv);
(b) one or more releasing agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 5.0% wv; and
(c) a lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprising
(i) one or more biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 30% wv;
(ii) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 10 and 70% volumevolume (vv).
2. The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more antimicrobial agent is selected from the group consisting of biguanide, chlorinated phenol, silver salt, quaternary ammonium compound, povidone iodine, nitrofurazone, berberine, alkanediol, and combinations thereof.
3. The composition of claim 2, wherein the biguanide is selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine base, chlorhexidine salt, a combination of chlorhexidine salt and base, polyhexanide, alexidine, and combinations thereof.
4. The composition of claim 2, wherein the chlorinated phenol is selected from the group consisting of triclosan, 4-chloro-3,5-dimethylphenol (PCMX), and combinations thereof.
5. The composition of claim 2, wherein the quaternary ammonium compound is selected from the group consisting of benzalkonium chloride, benzethonium chloride, and combinations thereof.
6. The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more antimicrobial agent comprises chlorhexidine base, chlorhexidine salt, or a combination of chlorhexidine salt and base; and a silver salt.
7. The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more releasing agent is selected from the group consisting of citric acid, lactic acid, glycolic acid, mandelic acid, benzoic acid, salicylic acid, acetyl salicylic acid, ascorbic acid, and combinations thereof.
8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the one or more biomedical polymer is selected from the group consisting of polyurethane, aliphatic polyether-based polyurethane, silicone polymer, silicone adhesive, hydrophilic cellulose polymer, hydrophobic cellulose polymer, hydrophilic-hydrophobic polymer, hydroxypropyl methyl-cellulose stearoxy ether, biodegradable polymer, polylactic acid, polyglycolic acid, and combinations thereof.
9. The composition of claim 8, wherein the one or more biomedical polymer comprises polyurethane and silicone adhesive.
10. The composition of claim 1, wherein
(a) the one or more antimicrobial agent comprises chlorhexidine base and is present at a concentration of between about 0.5 and 5.0% wv;
(b) the one or more releasing agent is present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 5.0% wv and is selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, mandelic acid, and combinations thereof; and
(c) the lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprises
(i) polyurethane biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 1 and 20% wv and silicone adhesive biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 1 and 10% wv;
(ii) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) solvent comprising methanol present at a concentration of between about 10 and 50% vv and tetrahydrofuran present at a concentration of between about 20 and 70% vv.
11. A composition for preparing a lubricious surface comprising
(a) one or more biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 30% wv, wherein the;
(b) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(c) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 10 and 70% volumevolume (vv).
12. The composition of claim 11, wherein
(a) the one or more biomedical polymer is selected from the group consisting of hydrophilic polyurethane polymer, hydrophobic polyurethane polymer, silicone polymer, and combinations thereof;
(b) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(c) solvent comprising methanol present at a concentration of between about 10 and 50% vv and tetrahydrofuran present at a concentration of between about 20 and 70% vv.
13. The composition of claim 12, wherein the hydrophilic polyurethane polymer is at a concentration of between about 0.5 and 10.0% wv when present and the hydrophobic silicone polymer is at a concentration of between about 1 and 10% wv when present.
14. A method of producing a bio-film resistant surface, comprising exposing the surface to a composition for preparing a bio-film resistant surface comprising
(a) one or more antimicrobial agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 7.0% wv;
(b) one or more releasing agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 5.0% wv; and
(c) a lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprising
(i) one or more biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 30% wv;
(ii) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 10 and 70% volumevolume (vv).
15. A method of rendering a surface of a medical article resistant to bio-film formation, comprising
(a) exposing the surface to a first composition comprising
(i) one or more urethane adhesive present at a concentration of between about 5 and 50% wv;
(ii) one or more silicone adhesive present at a concentration of between about 1 and 10% wv;
(iii) one or more solvent;
(b) allowing the first solution to dry; and
(c) exposing the surface to a second composition comprising
(i) one or more antimicrobial agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 7.0% wv;
(ii) one or more releasing agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) a lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprising
(1) one or more biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 30% wv;
(2) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(3) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 10 and 70% volumevolume (vv).
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the first composition further comprises decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv.
17. The method of claim 15, wherein the second composition comprises
(i) chlorhexidine base as the antimicrobial agent;
(ii) lactic acid, mandelic acid, or combinations thereof, as the one or more releasing agent; and
(iii) wherein the lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprises
(1) polyurethane biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 1 and 20% wv and silicone adhesive biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 1 and 10% wv;
(ii) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) solvent comprising methanol present at a concentration of between about 10 and 50% vv and tetrahydrofuran present at a concentration of between about 20 and 70% vv.
18. A method of producing a bio-film resistant inner surface of a device comprising exposing an inner surface to a composition comprising
(a) one or more antimicrobial present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 7.0% wv selected from the group consisting of chlorhexidine base, chlorhexidine acetate, and a combination of chlorhexidine base and chlorhexidine acetate; and
(b) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 2 and 20% vv selected from the group consisting of methyl-ethyl-ketone, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol, acetone, tetrahydrofuran, and combinations thereof,
wherein the inner surface is exposed to the composition for a time sufficient to impregnate the inner surface with an antimicrobially effective amount of the composition.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the antimicrobial comprises chlorhexidine base at a concentration of between about 0.1 and 5.0% wv, and wherein the composition further comprises a fruit acid present at a concentration between about 0.1 and 5.0% wv selected from the group consisting of lactic acid, mandelic acid, and combinations thereof.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising exposing an outer surface of the device to a composition comprising
(a) one or more antimicrobial agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 7.0% weightvolume (wv);
(b) one or more releasing agent present at a concentration of between about 0.05 and 5.0% wv; and
(c) a lubricious biomedical polymeric matrix comprising
(i) one or more biomedical polymer present at a concentration of between about 0.2 and 30% wv;
(ii) decanediol present at a concentration of between about 0.01 and 5.0% wv; and
(iii) one or more solvent present at a concentration of between about 10 and 70% volumevolume (vv).
21. A medical device prepared according to the method of any one of claims 14, 15, and 18.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1-10. (canceled)
11. A method for purifying water from contaminant trace species, especially arsenic, by treating said water with iron and co-precipitating trace species during oxidation, and precipitation of iron compounds with subsequent separation, characterized in that
a) first, the water is contacted without aeration with an iron-containing material for enriching the water with iron compounds,
b) then, the iron-enriched-water is oxidized for co-precipitation of the contaminant trace species together with oxidized iron compounds, and
c) finally, the precipitated compounds are separated from the water.
12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the water in step a) is enriched with Fe(II) compounds.
13. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the iron-containing material is iron ore or metallic iron, including iron particles, iron filings or swarfs, or any other natural iron-containing material having a large surface.
14. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the water is contacted with an iron-containing material in a closed system.
15. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the contact between iron and water is achieved by natural spraying of an iron-containing material arranged in a bed mounted above an aerator.
16. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that after co-precipitation of the trace species during oxidation and precipitation of iron compounds with subsequent separation, the water is recycled once or several times for renewed treatment comprising adding an additional amount of iron compounds with subsequent oxidation, precipitation of iron compounds and separation.
17. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that the co-precipitated trace species comprise arsenic andor pesticides.
18. A device for purifying water from contaminant trace species by co-precipitating the trace species comprising an aerator (5) for oxidation and precipitation of iron compounds with subsequent separation, characterized in that a non aerated assembly (2, 3, 4) for supplying iron compounds to the water is incorporated prior to the aerator (5).
19. The device according to claim 18, characterized in that the assembly for supplying iron compounds comprises a distributor means (2) for distributing water across a bed (3) of iron particles, iron filings or swarfs, iron ore or any other natural iron-containing material having a large surface, as well as one or more openings below the bed for the outflow or iron-enriched water.
20. The device according to claim 18, characterized in that the assembly (2, 3, 4) for supplying iron compounds to the water is arranged above a perforated plate to form drops, said perforated plate being positioned above a drop division assembly composed of a plurality of tubular elements in the form of pipes having pipe walls made of wire net, said tubular elements being placed in horizontal layers of several parallel tubular elements stacked in such a way that the longitudinal axis of the tubular elements in one layer are angularly displaced in relation to the tubular elements in the one or more adjacent layers, preferably with an angle of 90\xb0.
21. The device according to claim 18, characterized in that it further comprises a recirculation pipe (10) for recycling the treated water to the assembly (2, 3, 4) for supplying of iron compounds to the water.
22. The device according to claim 19, characterized in that it further comprises a recirculation pipe (10) for recycling the treated water to the assembly (2, 3, 4) for supplying of iron compounds to the water.
23. The device according to claim 20, characterized in that it further comprises a recirculation pipe (10) for recycling the treated water to the assembly (2, 3, 4) for supplying of iron compounds to the water.