A novel, biocidal, aqueous composition for killing bacteria, spores, fungi, and viruses on nonabsorbent surfaces comprises at least one quaternary ammonium salt, at least one aliphatic dialdehyde having from two to six carbon atoms, and at least one aliphatic hydroxyl compound having from one to eight atoms. Optionally, a chelating agent and an inorganic nitrite salt may be employed. This sterilant kills bacteria, spores, fungi, and viruses over a pH range from about pH 4 to about pH 9.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention: 
This invention relates to a broad-spectrum biocidal composition effective 
for rapid killing of bacteria, spores, fungi, and viruses on nonabsorbent 
surfaces such as dialysis machine tubing, anesthetic breathing bags, 
surgical instruments, dental bite blocks, saliva draining-tubes, 
respirator equipment and environmental surfaces in general. 
2. Prior Art: 
In medical and dental circles, steam sterilization or treatment with 
ethylene oxide in a closed apparatus have been considered ideal ways of 
sterilizing equipment. But for many types of parts or apparatus, steam 
sterilization is impractical because of the size or number of items to be 
sterilized. For parts of equipment which actually come in contact with the 
patient, such as dental bite blocks, anesthetic breathing bags, 
respirators, etc., it is impermissible for ethylene oxide to be used 
because residual trace amounts might harm the patient. 
Hence, a stable, benign, broad-spectrum sterilant effective at a wide range 
of pHs is greatly desired by the medical/dental profession for 
environmental use, especially on nonabsorbent surfaces. 
A disinfectant is generally considered to be an agent which destroys 
bacterial organisms which are growing, but not bacterial spores. Germicide 
and bactericide are approximately synonymous with disinfectant. An 
antiseptic inhibits the growth of microorganisms. A sporicide kills spores 
of fungi molds, and bacteria. Since spores are more resistant than 
bacteria, sporicides are generally considered sterilizing agents. Biocides 
kill all living microorganisms, hence also are sterilizing agents. A 
virucide kills viruses; a fungicide kills fungi. The novel sterilant of 
this invention kills bacteria, spores, fungi and viruses. Hence, it may be 
termed a biocide or a sterilant. 
The Hamilton U.S. Pat. No. 3,208,936, discloses combining a broad range of 
quaternary amines as germicides and foaming agents in recirculation type 
toilets. 
The Halley U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,971, is directed to a waste treatment 
material for a storage holding tank in which paraformaldehyde and an 
alkali carbonate or hydroxide are combined. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,998,390, granted Aug. 29, 1961 to Hamilton and U.S. Pat. 
No. 3,107,216, granted Oct. 15, 1963 to Hamilton, disclose a recirculating 
toilet fluid which contains a quaternary ammonium salt. 
"Quaternary Ammonium Salts as Germicidals. Nonacylated Quaternary Ammonium 
Salts Derived from Aliphatic Amines," Shelton, R. S. et al., Journal of 
the American Chemical Society, vol. 68, pp. 753-55 (1946), reported that 
alkyl quaternary ammonium salts have germicidal powers and N-benzyl 
substitutes do not affect this germicidal activity. 
It was reported in Gardner, J. Disinfection, Sterilization & Preservation, 
p. 900, S.S. Block, ed., Lea & Febiger, 2nd edit. (1977) to include 
chelating agents with phenols and certain quaternary ammonium salts for 
enhanced activity against gram-negative bacteria. 
The Schattner U.S. Pat. No. 4,103,001 discloses an aqueous mixture of 
phenol, sodium tetraborate, and sodium phenate solution to which is added 
aqueous glutaraldehyde in order to kill some bacteria and bacterial 
spores. This mixture cannot be used against fungi or viruses. 
The Stonehill U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,775 discloses a mixture of dialdehydes 
and a cationic surface active agent, plus a lower alcohol, which kills 
four spore-forming bacteria, but not fungi or viruses. 
The Pepper U.S. Pat. No. 3,016,328 discloses that simple dialdehydes plus a 
lower alkanol to the extent of about 60 to 70% and an alkalinizing agent 
to yield a pH range of about 8 to 9.5 kill four spore-forming bacteria, 
two of which are the same as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,282,775. 
Borick, et al in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Vol. 53, No. 10 at 
p. 1273 disclose that glutaraldehyde alkalinized with sodium bicarbonate 
kills eight nonspore forming bacteria, four sporeforming bacteria, one 
fungus, and nine viruses, but that this alkaline solution was stable only 
for about two weeks. 
French Patent No. 2,321,300 discloses that a mixture of aldehyde and 
quaternary ammonium compound has antiseptic properties by reducing the 
growth of five bacteria of interest to the food industry. 
British Patent No. 1,443,786 discloses that a mixture of glutaraldehyde, a 
lower alcohol, and a highly ionizable salt at acidic pH ranges kills four 
sporulating bacteria by ion exchange with the calcium in the walls of the 
bacterial spores. 
The Wagner U.S. Pat. No. 4,107,312 discloses a disinfectant mixture of a 
strong formaldehyde solution, plus minor amounts of glyoxal and 
glutaraldehyde, plus a quaternary ammonium salt, methanol to stabilize the 
formaldehyde, a nonionic wetting agent, optionally some alcohol or glycol, 
and a scent, all at a neutral pH in order to avoid corrosion of aluminum 
toilets (or minimize corrosion of magnesium toilets) in aircraft. 
The Mandt U.S. Pat. No. 4,444,785 discloses a disinfecting solution for 
soft contact lenses against two nonsporulating bacteria comprising a very 
low concentration of 1,5 pentanedial at neutral pH compatible with the 
human eye. 
The Schaeufele U.S. Pat. No. 4,320,147 discloses a germicidal composition 
comprising quaternary ammonium chlorides, plus builder salts, which are 
useful for disinfection against bacteria. 
Canadian Patent No. 1,154,555 discloses a bacteriocide composition 
containing formaldehyde, glutaraldehyde and a quaternary ammonium 
ingredient. 
French Patent No. 2,145,444 discloses a bacteriocide composition containing 
formaldehyde and a quaternary ammonium compound. 
The Lockwood U.S. Pat. No. 3,505,690 relates to a disinfectant dispersing 
system. 
The Buchalter U.S. Pat. No. 3,983,252 discloses a chemical disinfecting 
composition comprising a dialdehyde and an alkali metal salt of a 
hydrocarbon carboxylic acid and optionally an alcohol. 
The Goldhaft U.S. Pat. No. 4,022,911 discloses a disinfectant composition 
comprising three essential active ingredients, namely a dimethyl 
quaternary ammonium halogen salt, a phenol or derivative thereof, and 
formaldehyde. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
It is an object of this invention to provide a stable, benign, nonodorous, 
solution which kills a broad spectrum of bacteria, spores, fungi, and 
viruses rapidly at a wide range of pH. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide a broad-spectrum 
sterilant which will remain an active solution for at least several weeks. 
It is yet another object of this invention to provide a sterilant which is 
effective on hard, nonabsorbent, "environmental" surfaces such as 
anesthetic breathing bags, dialysis tubing, respirators, dental bite 
blocks, saliva-draining tubes, and the like for which sterilization by 
steam or ethylene oxide is either impractical or physiologically 
disfavored. 
It is an object of the present invention to provide a sterilant composition 
effective for killing rapidly individual microorganisms or a combination 
of several different kinds of microorganisms, such as bacteria, spores, 
fungi and/or viruses. 
Other objects of the present invention will be apparent to those skilled in 
the art. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Surprisingly, a broad-spectrum sterilant capable of rapidly killing 
bacteria, sporulating bacteria, spores, fungi, and viruses can be achieved 
by combining in an aqueous solution an effective amount of at least one 
quaternary ammonium compound, at least one aliphatic dialdehyde having 
from two to six carbon atoms, and at least one aliphatic hydroxyl compound 
having from one to eight carbon atoms. 
Another aspect of the invention relates to the use of the novel sterilant 
on "hard" or "environmental" surfaces (nonabsorbing) such as medical or 
dental equipment for which previously steam sterilization or treatment 
with ethylene oxide were employed. 
The sterilant of the present invention relates to a liquid composition 
which is effective for rapidly killing at least one microorganism or any 
combination of two or more different microorganisms such as bacteria, 
spores, fungi and viruses. 
For still another aspect of the invention, the novel sterilant is employed 
over a wide range of pH and is stable for several weeks after having been 
compounded. 
A typical embodiment of the invention comprises: 
______________________________________ 
Component Weight % 
______________________________________ 
Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride 
0.1 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
0.1 
Glutaraldehyde 2.6 
Isopropyl alcohol 0.2 
Propylene glycol 0.16 
Sodium nitrite 0.11 
Tetrasodium ethylenediamine tetracetate 
0.015 
Water balance 
______________________________________ 
Processes for employing these sterilant compositions ar also disclosed 
herein. 
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
Quaternary ammonium salts in aqueous solution are known to kill simple, 
nonsporulating, Gram-positive, and Gram-negative bacteria such as 
Staphylococcus aureus, Salmonella choleraesuis, Pseudonomas aeruginosa, 
Escherichia coli, and the like within 10 minutes or less. More difficult 
to kill are spore-forming, or sporulating, bacteria such as Bacillus 
globigii, Bacillus subtilis, clostridium tetani, C. perfringens, C. 
Sporogenes, etc. This can be carried out by alkalinized dialdehydes at 
comparatively high concentration and high pH, but alkalinized solutions of 
aldehydes are unstable because of potential condensation and redox 
reactions. 
Chemical agents for killing fungi such as Trichophyton interdigitale, and 
T. mentagrophytes and viruses such as Coxsackie B-1, Herpes Simplex I, 
Influenza A, Adeno type II and the like are known, but hitherto it has not 
been clear what types of chemicals or mixtures of chemicals kill all the 
above forms of microorganisms at a broad range of pH on "hard" surfaces 
and thus render the surfaces sterile. 
The cationic, quaternary salts useful in the present invention may contain 
either or both of aliphatic and aromatic moieties. Although quaternary 
ammonium salts are preferred, cationic phosphonium, or positive sulfur, or 
any other positive non-metallic nuclei may be selected. Some of the 
aliphatic or alicyclic substituents for the quaternary ions are alkyl 
groups containing one to 30 carbon atoms both linear and branched, alkoxy 
groups also containing one to 30 carbon atoms both linear and branched, 
alicylic groups such as cyclohexyl and its alkylated or alkyloxylated 
derivatives, and halogenated alkyl, halogenated alicyclic, or halogenated 
alkyloxy derivatives. 
Aromatic moieties, which may themselves be substituted by aliphatic, 
alicyclic, alkyloxy groups, useful as substituents for the quaternary 
cationic salts of the present invention are benzyl, tolyl, xylyl, 
naphthyl, pyridyl, benzal, quinolyl and the like. 
The preferred counterions for the quaternary cationic salts are halides, 
especially chloride and bromide. Particularly useful for practicing the 
present invention are alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chlorides, wherein the 
alkyl groups contain between 10 and 18 carbon atoms, and 
cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide. The useful range of quaternary 
cationic salts in an effective amount of sterilant is from about 0.05% to 
3% in actual use by weight. 
The solubility of the various solutes in the novel sterilant of the instant 
invention is improved by using small amounts of alkanols having from one 
to six carbon atoms and/or glycols having from two to four carbon atoms. 
These alkanols and glycols also have concomitant and peripheral biocidal 
effect. Especially useful alkanols are methanol, ethanol, and isopropyl 
alcohol. Especially useful polyols are glycols such as ethylene glycol, 
propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, as well as glycerine. In the diluted 
solution for actual use, the effective amount for the alkanol is from 
about 0.1% to 3% by weight, and the effective amount for the polyol or 
glycol is from about 0.1% to 3% by weight. 
Certain salts with anions at less than full oxidation state, such as 
nitrite, bisulfite, or chlorite, may be optionally employed in the novel 
sterilant solution of the instant invention to prevent corrosion, as well 
as for their biocidal activity. Particularly useful are sodium, potassium, 
lithium, and ammonium salts of the three anions named; especially useful 
is sodium nitrite. These optional salts may be employed in the range from 
0.05% to about 2.0% by weight of the actual solution employed. 
A chelating agent may be optionally employed in the broad-spectrum 
sterilant of the present invention from 0% to 0.025% by weight to aid in 
solubility of the other components, to counteract any deleterious effects 
from diluting concentrated commercial strengths with hard water for use, 
and to help break down the coatings of spores, which have a high 
concentration of multivalent ions. The preferred chelating agent to 
practice the current invention may range from 0% to 0.025% by weight and 
is ethylene diamine tetraacetic acid (EDTA). Partial esters or salts of 
EDTA may also be used. An example of a salt of EDTA is tetrasodium 
ethylenediamine tetraacetate. 
The aliphatic dialdehyde containing from two to six carbon atoms is a 
component of the broad-spectrum sterilant of the present invention. 
Dialdehydes include malonaldehyde, succinaldehyde, oxaldehyde (glyoxal), 
adipaldehyde, and preferably glutaraldehyde. Alternatively, these 
compounds may be termed aliphatic dials, e.g. 1, 5 pentanedial. By 
themselves, these compounds are effective germicides to some degree, at 
high pH, but they fail to have the wide breadth and speed of killing of 
the mixture of the current invention. This is especially true for the 
killing of the sporulent bacteria, where the dialdehydes alone can take up 
to ten hours to kill spores, and for many viruses, where dialdehydes are 
ineffective. In the final dilution as used, in the present invention, an 
effective amount of the dialdehyde is from about 0.5% to about 7% by 
weight. A concentration of dialdehyde of about 2.6 weight % is preferred 
and a concentration of dialdehyde of 3.2 weight % is especially preferred. 
As a practical matter, it is preferred to produce the broad-spectrum 
sterilant of the present invention in the form of one or more concentrated 
solutions prior to transport and storage. The concentrations of these 
solutions would be 50 to 100-fold higher strength than the actual 
use-strengths given above. After transport and storage, the user, normally 
a medical or dental technician, will dilute the concentrate to produce an 
effective amount at the ultimate dilution. 
In concentrated form, a preferred embodiment of the sterilant concentrate 
of the present invention would have the following approximate 
concentrations by weight: 
______________________________________ 
Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
Alkyl*benzyldimethylammonium chloride 
7 
*50% C-12, 30% C-14, 17% C-16, 3% C-18 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
7 
Isopropyl Alcohol 14 
Propylene glycol 12 
Sodium nitrite 7 
EDTA 1.5 
Water, balance up to 100% 
______________________________________ 
In actual practice, the user will have prepared a desired quantity of the 
diluted sterilant concentrate by diluting the sterilant concentrate with 
distilled or tap water. This resulting solution will serve, further, as 
the diluent for the dialdehyde concentrate then to be added thereto.

The present invention will now be described by reference to the following 
examples, which are not to be deemed limitative of the present invention 
in any manner thereof. 
EXAMPLE A 
This example illustrates the preparation of an effective sterilizing amount 
of a final user solution of the sterilant composition of the invention. 
A 15 ml ampule of the above sterilant concentrate was diluted with distiled 
water to a final volume of 1 liter. This was a dilution ratio of about 
66.7:1. To this solution was added 50 ml of an aqueous 50% by weight 
solution of glutaraldehyde concentrate. On a weight basis, the 
concentration of glutaraldehyde will be about 2.6% in the final user 
solution. 
Thus in the final user solution, the concentrations of the various 
components in the diluted sterilant will be as follows: 
______________________________________ 
Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride 
0.1 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
0.1 
Isopropyl alcohol 0.2 
Propylene glycol 0.16 
Sodium nitrite 0.1 
EDTA 0.02 
Dialdehyde, esp. glutaraldehyde 
2.6 
Water balance 
______________________________________ 
The diluted sterilant composition of the present invention may be employed 
over a wide, useful pH range from about pH 4 to about pH 9. The preferred 
range for use is from about pH 5 to about pH 8. This is in marked contrast 
to the use of alkalinized dialdehydes alone, which are effective only from 
about pH 7 to about pH 8.5. Although buffers may optionally be employed to 
keep the sterilant of the instant invention within a narrow pH range, no 
buffer is necessary to practice this invention. 
EXAMPLE B 
This example illustrates the preparation of an effective sterilizing amount 
of a final user solution of the sterilant composition of the invention. 
A 15 ml ampule of the above sterilant concentrate was diluted with 
distilled water to a final volume of 750 ml. This was a dilution ratio of 
about 50:1. To this solution was added 50 ml of an aqueous 50% by weight 
solution of glutaraldehyde concentrate. On a weight basis, the 
concentration of glutaraldehyde will be about 3.2% in the final user 
solution. 
Thus, in the final user solution, the concentrations of the various 
components in the diluted sterilant will be as follows: 
______________________________________ 
Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride 
0.15 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
0.15 
Isopropyl alcohol 0.25 
Propylene glycol 0.20 
Sodium nitrite 0.15 
EDTA 0.025 
Dialdehyde, esp. glutaraldehyde 
3.2 
Water balance 
______________________________________ 
The diluted sterilant composition of the present invention may be employed 
over a wide, useful pH range from about pH 4 to about pH 9. The preferred 
range for use is from about pH 5 to about pH 8. This is in marked contrast 
to the use of alkalinized dialdehydes alone, which are effective only from 
about pH 7 to about pH 8.5. Although buffers may optionally be employed to 
keep the sterilant of the instant invention within a narrow pH range, no 
buffer is necessary to practice this invention. 
EXAMPLE 1 
This example illustrates the effectiveness of the sterilant composition of 
EXAMPLE A for nonsporulating bacteria. 
The novel sterilant of the present invention was prepared with 400 ppm hard 
water as the diluent for test purposes: 
______________________________________ 
Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride 
0.1 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
0.1 
Isopropyl alcohol 0.2 
Propylene glycol 0.16 
Sodium nitrite 0.11 
EDTA 0.02 
Glutaraldehyde 2.60 
Water balance 
______________________________________ 
Employing the Use-Dilution Method of the Association of Official 
Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) 60 ring carriers were tested on three batchs 
each for efficacy against the following organisms (US EPA Procedure 
DIS/TSS-1 and 2 of Jan. 1982); Salmonella choleraesius ATCC 10708 
(Gram-negative), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (Gram-positive), and 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 (Gram-positive, nosocomial pathogen). 
All these microorganisms were killed within 10 minutes at 20 degrees C. 
EXAMPLE 2 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention for killing sporulating bacteria. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 1 for testing 
against Gram-positive, sporulating bacteria Bacillus subtilus ATCC 19659 
and Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 3584 employing US EPA Procedure DIS/TSS-9 
of April 1981 (AOAC Sporicidal Test). Sixty carriers for each type of 
surface, porcelain penicylinders and silk suture loops, for each of three 
samples for each of three batches involved a total of 720 carriers. 
As required, all microorganisms were killed on all carriers in about 5 
hours, less than 6 hours at 20 degrees C. 
In a similar test alkalinized glutaraldehyde can meet this standard only 
after 10 hours of contact. 
EXAMPLE 3 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention for killing fungi and fungal spores. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 1 for testing 
against pathogenic fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 27289 according 
to the AOAC Fungicidal Test by EPA procedure DIS/TSS-6 of August 1981. For 
this fungus two batches were used for two samples each killing all 
organisms within 10 minutes at 20 degrees C. 
EXAMPLE 4 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention in killing viruses, some of which none of the components 
of the novel sterilant can kill individually under the same conditions. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 1 for testing 
against the following viruses: Herpes Simplex I and II, Coxsackie virus 
B1, Coxsackie virus A9, Vaccinia Virus, Influenza virus A, Adenos virus 
II, Poliovirus I, Rhino virus, Cytomegalo virus, and Corona virus, all 
according to EPA procedure DIS/TSSD-7. For two batches each, four 
replicates were carried by ten-fold dilution and measured to three-log 
diminution. After incubation, the samples were recovered after adsorption 
time on mammalian cell monolayers. 
The novel sterilant inactivated all the viruses within 10 minutes at 20 
degrees C. It is known that alkalinized glutaraldehyde fails to inactivate 
at least Coxsackie virus and Poliovirus I under these conditions. 
EXAMPLE 5 
This example illustrates the effectiveness of the sterilant composition of 
EXAMPLE B for nonsporulating bacteria. 
The novel sterilant of the present invention was prepared with 400 ppm hard 
water as the diluent for test purposes: 
______________________________________ 
Wt. % 
______________________________________ 
Alkylbenzyldimethylammonium chloride 
0.15 
Cetyldimethylethylammonium bromide 
0.15 
Isopropyl alcohol 0.25 
Propylene glycol 0.20 
Sodium nitrite 0.15 
EDTA 0.025 
Glutaraldehyde 3.2 
Water balance 
______________________________________ 
Employing the Use-Dilution Method of the Association of Official 
Agricultural Chemists (AOAC) 60 ring carriers were tested on three batchs 
each for efficacy against the following organisms (US EPA Procedure 
DIS/TSS-1 and 2 of January 1982); Salmonella choleraesius ATCC 10708 
(Gram-negative), Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538 (Gram-positive), and 
Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 15442 (Gram-positive, nosocomial pathogen). 
All these microorganisms were killed within 10 minutes at 20 degrees C. 
EXAMPLE 6 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention for killing sporulating bacteria. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 5 for testing 
against Gram-positive, sporulating bacteria Bacillus subtilus ATCC 19659 
and Clostridium sporogenes ATCC 3584 employing US EPA Procedure DIS/TSS-9 
of April 1981 (AOAC Sporicidal Test). Sixty carriers for each type of 
surface, porcelain penicylinders and silk suture loops, for each of three 
samples for each of three batches involved a total of 720 carriers. 
As required, all microorganisms were killed on all carriers in about 5 
hours, less than 6 hours at 20 degrees C. 
In a similar test alkalinized glutaraldehyde can meet this standard only 
after 10 hours of contact. 
EXAMPLE 7 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention for killing fungi and fungal spores. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 5 for testing 
against pathogenic fungus Trichophyton mentagrophytes ATCC 27289 according 
to the AOAC Fungicidal Test by EPA procedure DIS/TSS-6 of August 1981. For 
this fungus two batches were used for two samples each killing all 
organisms within 10 minutes at 20 degrees C. 
EXAMPLE 8 
This example illustrates the efficacy of the broadspectrum sterilant of the 
present invention in killing viruses, some of which none of the components 
of the novel sterilant can kill individually under the same conditions. 
The novel sterilant solution was prepared as in EXAMPLE 5 for testing 
against the following viruses: Herpes Simplex I and II, Coxsackie virus 
B1, Coxsackie virus A9, Vaccinia Virus, Influenza virus A, Adenos virus 
II, Poliovirus I, Rhino virus, Cytomegalo virus, and Corona virus, all 
according to EPA procedure DIS/TSSD-7. For two batches each, four 
replicates were carried by ten-fold dilution and measured to three-log 
diminution. After incubation, the samples were recovered after adsorption 
time on mammalian cell monolayers. 
The novel sterilant inactivated all the viruses within 10 minutes at 20 
degrees C. It is known that alkalinized glutaraldehyde fails to inactivate 
at least Coxsackie virus and Poliovirus I under these conditions. 
The sterilant composition of the present invention has the advantages of 
being effective to kill a broad spectrum of microorganisms very rapidly 
with low concentrations of the active ingredients. The sterilant 
composition as a combination of ingredients is more effective against 
several microorganisms together at the same time than would be possible by 
using each active ingredient separately against the combination of 
microorganisms. 
Having illustrated the instant invention with the foregoing Examples, the 
scope of legal protection sought for this invention is set forth in the 
claims which follow.