U.S. patent application number 13/498812 was filed with the patent office on 2013-01-17 for biodegradable sterile sampling bag.
This patent application is currently assigned to LABPLAS INC.. The applicant listed for this patent is Danielle Lafond, Shoreh Parandoosh, May L. Scally. Invention is credited to Danielle Lafond, Shoreh Parandoosh, May L. Scally.
Application Number | 20130017134 13/498812 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 43824523 |
Filed Date | 2013-01-17 |
United States Patent
Application |
20130017134 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Scally; May L. ; et
al. |
January 17, 2013 |
BIODEGRADABLE STERILE SAMPLING BAG
Abstract
A biodegradable sampling bag for containing samples or the like,
comprises a flexible enclosure defining a chamber adapted to
contain therein the sample, the flexible enclosure being made of a
plastic material, which contains an additive that renders the
flexible enclosure biodegradable when exposed for a sufficient
period of time to microbial action. The additive is adapted to
enable microorganisms to metabolize the molecular structure of said
flexible enclosure. The additive is effective in altering the
polymer chain of the plastic material to allow microbial action of
a suitable environment to colonize in and around the plastic
material, whereby microbes can then form a biofilm on a surface of
the flexible enclosure and secrete acids which break down the
entire polymer chain. The flexible enclosure, when exposed to
microbial action, is adapted to withstand biodegradation for a
given period of time, typically of at least three months.
Inventors: |
Scally; May L.; (St. Mathias
sur Richelieu, CA) ; Parandoosh; Shoreh; (Mont
Saint-Hilaire, CA) ; Lafond; Danielle; (Mont
Saint-Hilaire, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Scally; May L.
Parandoosh; Shoreh
Lafond; Danielle |
St. Mathias sur Richelieu
Mont Saint-Hilaire
Mont Saint-Hilaire |
|
CA
CA
CA |
|
|
Assignee: |
LABPLAS INC.
Sainte-Julie
QC
|
Family ID: |
43824523 |
Appl. No.: |
13/498812 |
Filed: |
September 28, 2010 |
PCT Filed: |
September 28, 2010 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/CA10/01533 |
371 Date: |
September 11, 2012 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
422/555 ;
493/267 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B65H 45/12 20130101;
G01N 1/02 20130101; B29D 22/003 20130101; Y10T 428/1345 20150115;
B29K 2023/0633 20130101; B29K 2995/006 20130101; C08K 2201/018
20130101; C08K 3/012 20180101; C08K 5/0033 20130101; C08J 5/18
20130101; C08J 2323/06 20130101; C08L 23/06 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
422/555 ;
493/267 |
International
Class: |
G01N 1/00 20060101
G01N001/00; B31B 1/00 20060101 B31B001/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Sep 28, 2009 |
CA |
2,680,970 |
Claims
1. A biodegradable sampling bag for containing samples or the like,
comprising a flexible enclosure defining a chamber adapted to
contain therein the sample, said flexible enclosure being made of a
plastic material, said plastic material containing an additive that
renders said flexible enclosure biodegradable when exposed for a
sufficient period of time to microbial action.
2. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said
additive is adapted to enable microorganisms to metabolize the
molecular structure of said flexible enclosure.
3. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 2, wherein said
additive has altered the polymer chain of said plastic material to
allow microbial action of a suitable environment to colonize in and
around said plastic material, whereby microbes can then form a
biofilm on a surface of said flexible enclosure and secrete acids
which break down the entire polymer chain.
4. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 4, wherein the
microbial action eventually converts said flexible enclosure into
carbon dioxide and water when subjected to aerobic biodegradation,
and into carbon dioxide, methane and water when subjected to
anaerobic biodegradation.
5. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said
flexible enclosure, when exposed to microbial action, is adapted to
withstand biodegradation for a given period of time.
6. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 5, wherein said
given period of time is at least three months.
7. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 6, wherein said
flexible enclosure, when exposed to microbial action, is adapted to
biodegrade in nine months to five years.
8. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said
plastic material is Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) sheet
material.
9. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein said
plastic material is Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) sheet
material.
10. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein
said plastic material comes in the form of tubing for manufacturing
said flexible enclosure.
11. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein
said additive is MasterBatch Pellets.TM..
12. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 1, wherein
said flexible enclosure is sealed except at one portion thereof
which comprises bag access means adapted to substantially seal said
bag in a first position thereof but also adapted to selectively
allow in a second position thereof the sample to be introduced in
said chamber when it is desired to use said bag, whereby once in
said second position the sample can be received in said bag.
13. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 12, wherein
said access means comprises a detachable tear off strip.
14. A biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 13, wherein
said strip includes sealing means for sealing said bag in said
first position but adapted to be removed from said bag with said
detachable strip in said second position thereby opening said bag
at said one portion thereof for subsequent receipt of the sample
therein.
15. A method of making a biodegradable sampling bag, comprising the
steps of: a) producing a flexible enclosure from a plastic material
containing an additive that renders said flexible enclosure
biodegradable when exposed for a sufficient period of time to
microbial action; and b) making a bag from said flexible enclosure,
said bag defining a chamber adapted to contain therein a
sample.
16. The use of a plastic material containing an additive for making
a biodegradable sampling bag, wherein the plastic material
containing said additive is adapted to enable microorganisms to
metabolize the molecular structure of said sampling bag and cause
said sampling bag to biodegrade, but being adapted, when exposed to
microbial action, to sustain biodegradation for a given period of
time.
17. The use of a plastic material containing an additive for making
a biodegradable sampling bag as defined in claim 16, wherein said
given period of time is at least three months.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This Application claims priority on Canadian Patent
Application No. 2,680,970 filed on Sep. 28, 2009, which is herein
incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates to bags and, more
particularly, to sterile sampling bags for use in handling sample
materials and the like (such as clinical samples), for instance in
laboratories, in hospitals, in the food industry, etc.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] Sterile sampling bags are used to collect, contain and carry
a variety of sample materials that are pertinent to the agro-food,
pharmaceutical, medical and environmental industries. These
industries are all subject to various regulatory bodies, such as
the FDA in the United States of America, Health Canada, HCAPP, etc.
These regulators ensure that all products intended for consumption
or interaction with the general public (either directly, such as
food products, or indirectly, such as chemical fertilizers), meet
scientific and measured standards that confirm their safety.
[0004] In order for a sampling bag to be viable for these
industries, the following specifications should be met: [0005] made
from virgin materials; [0006] does not, in any way, interfere with
the integrity of the substance being tested; [0007] does not leach
any altering chemicals, such as cadmium, mercury, lead, etc., into
the substance it is carrying; [0008] sterile (therefore harbors no
fungus, mold, aerobic or anaerobic bacteria); [0009] the producer
provides a sterility certificate and ensure production lot number
traceability for the entire shelf life of the sampling bag; [0010]
when used for DNA detection, must be R-Nase, D-Nase and pyrogen
free; [0011] physically viable: not porous, able to contain a
specific range of PH and acidity levels; [0012] typical shelf life
of 3 years minimum, under ambient storage conditions, before use;
and [0013] sufficiently elastic and of low tear propensity to
accommodate the pressures of a laboratory homogenizer.
[0014] In order to better understand these requirements, the
following is a typical description of a field application for the
use of a sampling bag.
[0015] At varying and predetermined intervals during any given food
production process, samples of the food matter will be collected
using sanitary methods and by inserting the substance in a sterile
sampling bag. This occurs at many stages of the process, from the
raw material phase, throughout the process and again with the final
product. Furthermore, work surfaces, production and handling
machinery and packaging materials are also sampled for testing.
Essentially, these components are all being tested to ensure that
no harmful pathogens (such as E. coli, Listeria, Salmonella) or
chemicals are present. Typically, various nutritive solutions are
added to the sample substance and it is then transported to a
laboratory for incubation and subsequent microbial analysis. The
sampled material can be retained in a sampling bag for a wide
variety of time periods. Usually, this consists of a few days,
however, in some cases the sample can be retained for months, such
as in a freezer environment.
[0016] Such sampling bags are typically made of plastics material
and thus constitute a significant concern, when discarded, for the
environment
[0017] Therefore, there is a need for a sampling bag that is
friendlier to the environment.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0018] It is therefore an aim of the present invention to provide a
biodegradable sampling bag that will respect a sufficient number of
the aforementioned criteria, depending on the intended use of the
bag.
[0019] Therefore, in accordance with the present invention, there
is provided a biodegradable sampling bag for containing samples or
the like, comprising a flexible enclosure defining a chamber
adapted to contain therein the sample, said flexible enclosure
being made of a plastic material, said plastic material containing
an additive that renders said flexible enclosure biodegradable when
exposed for a sufficient period of time to microbial action.
[0020] Also in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided a method of making a biodegradable sampling bag,
comprising the steps of: a) producing a flexible enclosure from a
plastic material containing an additive that renders said flexible
enclosure biodegradable when exposed for a sufficient period of
time to microbial action; and b) making a bag from said flexible
enclosure, said bag defining a chamber adapted to contain therein a
sample.
[0021] Further in accordance with the present invention, there is
provided for the use of a plastic material containing an additive
for making a biodegradable sampling bag, wherein the plastic
material containing said additive is adapted to enable
microorganisms to metabolize the molecular structure of said
sampling bag and cause said sampling bag to biodegrade, but being
adapted, when exposed to microbial action, to sustain
biodegradation for a given period of time
[0022] Other objects, advantages and features of the present
invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following
non-restrictive description of embodiments thereof, given by way of
example only.
DESCRIPTION OF ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
[0023] The sampling bag of the present invention is produced with
virgin Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) tubing which includes a
specially formulated technology that incorporates nutrients and
other compounds which alter the polymer chain to allow microbial
action to colonize in and around the plastic. Microbes can then
form a biofilm on the surface of the plastic and secrete acids
which break down the entire polymer chain, converting the material
into inert humus (biomass), CO2, methane and water.
[0024] The present sampling bag has a similar five year shelf life
as conventional bags. The biodegradation of the plastic is not
triggered by heat, light, or moisture. Furthermore, the sampling
bag was submitted to 20 weeks of intense exposure to laboratory
conditions (inoculation with various fungi, moisture, bacteria) and
remained physically and chemically intact. The sampling bag is
sterile and is also R-Nase, D-Nase and pyrogen free.
[0025] The additive technology does not activate until the sampling
bag is disposed of in a compost or sewage environment.
Biodegradation under these conditions occurs over a period of, for
instance, nine months to five years, depending on the concentration
of microorganisms in the disposal environment.
Biodegradable Plastic Technology and the Sampling Bag Challenge
[0026] Plastic materials and polymers are rendered biodegradable
through the addition of substances that impact their molecular
structures. The goal is to sufficiently weaken or interrupt their
polymer chains in order to allow environmental factors to interact
with them for eventual degradation. Unadulterated polymer chains do
not otherwise lose their molecular structure, and therefore are
believed to remain intact within our ecological Systems (landfills,
sewage, general environment) for indefinite periods.
[0027] The very concept of attempting to produce/develop a
biodegradable sampling bag is counterintuitive to the requirements
of the scientific community and stability that the bag must possess
(see list of aforementioned specifications).
[0028] Beyond the characteristics required of a sampling bag,
during the course of its useful life, the bag will be subjected to
a wide variety of materials, liquids and ambient conditions. These
sampling bags are used by the scientific community, a group that is
extremely knowledgeable and, understandably, not prone to
modifications of proven tools and methodology. Analytical results,
scientific validations and public security are reliant on the
integrity of the entire testing process, including the sterile
sampling container
The Technological Challenges
[0029] Most current biodegrading catalyst agents known today are
cellulose-based and many are heat and/or light activated. One known
agent enables bacterial interaction. This summary will examine all
three as to their potential application for the production of
biodegradable sampling bags.
[0030] 1) Cellulose is a plant-derived base, therefore of organic
origin. This technology causes two factors that make it
inappropriate for consideration when searching for a method to
produce biodegradable sampling bags: [0031] the plastic material
becomes rigid in structure, with no elasticity and tears too
easily; and [0032] there is significant risk of traces of organic
material in the plastic, which would significantly interfere with
the substances being sampled and tested in the food, chemical,
medical and pharmaceutical industry.
[0033] 2) Heat and Light activated additives present a particular
challenge and are also inappropriate [0034] plastics are produced
through melting of granule mixtures and consequent extrusion. Any
biodegradable plastics produced with this type of heat-activated
additive begin to degrade as soon as they are produced. The
resulting material is indeed biodegradable; however, it is unstable
and has a very short shelf life; and [0035] furthermore, under
normal shelf storage conditions, the plastic will be exposed to
light, which will further hasten its degradation.
[0036] 3) Bacteria Enabling Catalyst:
[0037] In the present invention, Applicant has identified a
biodegradable additive produced by Biofilms, commercialized under
the name MasterBatch Pellets.TM., which enables microorganisms in
the environment to metabolize the molecular structure of plastic
products. The plastic degrades through the action of aerobic and
anaerobic bacteria, and is not rendered unstable by light or heat
The plastic, in this case Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE)
remains stable, pliable and sufficiently transparent for the
sampling bag application.
[0038] However, this additive also bears a potential challenge and
is very counterintuitive to being viable for the microbiological
analyses industry, in that sampling bags are used to enhance and
encourage the growth of bacteria and other microorganisms, in order
to detect their presence; and if the plastic material of the bag
begins to degrade when in contact with such active bacteria, how
can a sampling bag provided with the aforementioned biodegradable
additive be considered as even remotely viable for this
application?
The Solution
[0039] The ECM Biofilms biodegrading additive is the more promising
of these types of additives on the market; however, two inherent
questions had to be answered in order for the product technology to
be applicable for a sampling bag application: [0040] does the
sampling bag retain the minimum levels of physical and chemical
characteristics required in order to be viable? [0041] how long
will the biodegradable sampling bag remain intact once it is in
contact with bacteria, Fungi, mold or other microorganisms?
Proofing Methodology and Outcomes
[0042] Applicant obtained biodegradable LLDPE tubing produced with
the ECM Biofilms additive.
[0043] Physical Validation:
[0044] Applicant's production team applied this raw material to its
conventional production process with the following results: [0045]
the material performed well when running through Applicant's bag
making technology; [0046] print ink adheres very well to the
surface and is retained thereon for a sufficient period; [0047]
Applicant's tape and wire closure system adheres well to the
surface of the biodegradable LLDPE; and [0048] the resulting
sterile bag is still sufficiently transparent and has the
appropriate and, to the naked eye, has the required physical
appearance.
Scientific Validation of the Physical Attributes
[0049] Base Testing:
[0050] First, Applicant's standard, FDA approved, non-biodegradable
LLDPE film was subjected to a series of physical and chemical tests
to confirm various measurements as a control test against which to
measure and control the same attributes for the new biodegradable
film of the present invention.
[0051] Next, the biodegradable LLDPE film was subjected to the same
physical, chemical and biological testing, in order to obtain its
baseline physical measurements.
[0052] Base Test Results of the Biodegradable Film: [0053] has met
the United States of Pharmacopeia (USP) 29, National Formulary
(NF)24 criteria for physical testing; [0054] is R-Nase, D-Nase and
pyrogen free, per test results from the outside laboratory, Mobio;
[0055] has an MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate) value of 0.38
g/100 in.sup.2/day, which is comparable to Applicant's standard
(non-biodegradable) material which has an MVTR value of 0.32 g/100
in.sup.2/day, and [0056] has an OTR (Oxygen Transmission Rate)
value of 381 cc/100 in.sup.2/day which is comparable to Applicant's
standard material which has OTR results of 480 cc/100
in.sup.2/day.
[0057] Testing of Product Viability and Integrity (under market
conditions and applications):
[0058] The additive used to render the LLDPE film biodegradable,
enables microorganisms to digest and break down plastic molecular
structures. Applicant's sterile sampling bags are used to gather
food, water, and other substances, and to actually incubate them in
order to allow any present microorganisms to multiply and form
colonies. Samples and related substances can remain in the bag from
periods of a few hours to a few months.
[0059] ECM Biofilms states that products manufactured with their
biodegrading catalyst remain stable and have similar shelf lives to
their non-biodegradable counterparts. They also claim that the
treated material will biodegrade in nine months to five years
(depending on the plastic polymer, its thickness, and the
composting, sewage, or disposal environment conditions where
microorganisms are present). Applicant needed to ensure that the
sampling bags would retain their physical integrity for the useful
life thereof, i.e. from the moment a sample is inserted inside, to
the time of disposal, which is usually less than three days but
which could, however, range up to a few months.
[0060] Product (sampling bags) samples of the present invention
were submitted to three consecutive months of exposure to
microorganisms, molds and fungi, and, once a month, some pieces
were submitted to physical testing in order to measure tensile
strength, MVTR (Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate) and OTR (Oxygen
Transmission Rate). All testing was performed by outside firms.
[0061] The results of the physical tests at the end of each month
have confirmed that the biodegradable plastic material of the
present invention remains physically unchanged when exposed to
laboratory-like applications and microorganisms for a minimum
period of three months
[0062] In light of these confirmed results, Applicant considers
that the present biodegradable Low Density Polyethylene has been
scientifically validated, that it meets market and scientific
requirements, and that it can be used for at least three months
without any degradation.
[0063] Although the present invention has been described
hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it may be modified,
without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject
invention as described herein.
* * * * *