# Patent

## Title
Preservative blends containing iodine containing compounds

## Abstract

Applicants have discovered that cyclic and acyclic ketone acids, such as dehydroacetic acid, and salts thereof as well as an aromatic carboxylic acid and salts thereof enhance the performance of iodine containing biocides as antimicrobial agents and preservatives. The present invention provides a composition comprising (a) an iodine containing biocide; and (b) (i) a ketone acid or salt thereof, (ii) an aromatic carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, or (iii) a mixture thereof. Preferably, the ketone acid is a cyclic ketone acid and the aromatic carboxylic acid is salicylic acid.

## Background
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/273,079, filed Mar. 1, 2001, which is hereby incorporated by reference.


FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to antimicrobial compositions containing (a) an iodine containing biocide, such as 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate, and (b) (i) a cyclic or acyclic ketone acid or a salt thereof, (ii) an aromatic carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, or (iii) a mixture thereof.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Many iodine containing compounds, such as 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate (IPBC), are known to be effective as antimicrobial agents and preservatives. However, IPBC and many other iodine containing compounds are expensive. As a result, there is a continuing need for improved antimicrobial and preservative compositions which contain low concentrations of iodine containing biocides.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Applicants have discovered that ketone acids, aromatic carboxylic acids, and salts thereof synergistically enhance the performance of iodine containing biocides. The present invention provides a composition comprising

    
    
        (a) an iodine containing biocide; and
        (b) (i) a ketone acid or salt thereof,
        
            (ii) an aromatic carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, or
            (iii) a mixture thereof.

Preferably, the ketone acid is a cyclic ketone acid. The aforementioned mixtures are synergistic.

        
        
    
    


Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms on a substrate by applying an antimicrobial or preserving effective amount of the composition of the present invention.


DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The term “biocide”, but is not limited to, bactericides, fungicides, pesticides and agents which inhibit the growth of and/or destroy microorganisms and insects.
The present invention provides a composition comprising (a) an iodine containing compound; and (b) (i) a ketone acid or salt thereof, (ii) an aromatic carboxylic acid or a salt thereof, or (iii) a mixture thereof. Preferably, the ketone acid is a cyclic ketone acid. The ketone acid and aromatic carboxylic acid enhances the biocidal efficacy of the iodine containing biocide. These compositions are useful as antimicrobial, fungicidal, and actericidal agents and as preservatives in the papermaking, textile, agricultural, and coating industries and personal care, household, industrial, and institutional products, such as starches, paints, adhesives, polyvinyl chloride and other plastics, and meltworking fluids. The preservative system may be incorporated into substrates susceptible to microbial growth. For example, the preservative system may be incorporated into or be a personal care product, such as a shampoo, conditioner, cream, lotion, cosmetic, and soap; a household product, such a fabric softener, laundry detergent, and hard surface cleaner; or an industrial product, such as paint, wood, textile, adhesive, sealant, leather, rope, paper pulp, plastic, fuel, oil, rubber working fluid, and metal working fluid.
Examples of compounds which may be used as the iodine containing biocide component of the invention are fungicidally active iodoalkynyl derivatives. These include compounds derived from propyne or iodopropynyl alcohols, such as the esters, ethers, acetals, carbamates and carbonates and the iodopropynyl derivatives of pyrimidines, triazolinones, tetrazoles, triazinones, sulfamides, benzothiazoles, ammonium salts, carboxamides, hydroxamates, and ureas.
Iodine Containing Compounds
Preferred iodine containing biocides include, but not limited to, 3-iodo-2 propynyl derivatives such as 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate, 3-iodo-2-propynyl succinate and p-chlorophenyl-3-iodopropynyl formal; iodo sulfone derivatives; and triiodoallyl alcohols.
Preferably, iodopropynyl carbamate compounds have the formula: 




wherein R is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, and substituted and unsubstituted alkyl, aryl, and alkylaryl groups having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms; and q and z independently are integers from 1 to 3.

Suitable iodopropynyl ester compounds include, but are not limited to, those having the formulae: 




wherein:

R1 and R2 are defined as R3 and R4 below or are joined to form a cycloalkyl, cycloalkenyl, aromatic or a heterocyclic ring containing an oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atom or an alkoxy, amino, carboxyl, halo, hydroxyl, keto or a thiocarboxyl-substituted derivative thereof;
R3 and R4 are independently selected from

    
    
        (A) hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, a heterocyclic ring containing an oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atom, alkoxy, amino, carboxyl, halo, hydroxyl, keto or a thiocarboxyl; and
        (B) substituted derivatives of the alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl and the heterocyclic ring wherein the substitutions are alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, amino, carboxyl, halo, hydroxyl, keto or a thiocarboxyl;
    
    


y is an integer from 0 to 16;
W is a single bond, oxygen, —N(R5)— or —(CR6R7)p—;
R5 is hydrogen, alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl or a heterocyclic ring containing an oxygen, nitrogen or sulfur atom or a substituted derivative of alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl or aryl groups wherein the substitutions are alkyl, cycloalkyl, alkenyl, cycloalkenyl, aryl, alkoxy, amino, carboxyl, halo, hydroxyl, keto, or a thiocarboxyl;
R6 and R7 are defined as R3 and R4 above;
p is an integer from 1 to 12; and
X is hydrogen or a salt-forming cation such as an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, ammonium, tertiary ammonium, a quaternary ammonium, a biguanide or a polybiguanide.
The above definition of R5 includes, among other things, an aminoalkyl group.
The heterocyclic rings referred to in the above definitions may contain from 5 to 8 members, the alkyl or cycloalkyl groups from 1 to 18 atoms, the alkenyl or cycloalkenyl groups from 2 to 18 carbon atoms, and the aryl groups from 6 to 10 members.
In formula III, when R1 and R2 are hydrogen, the compound is a maleate. When R1 and R2 are joined together to form part of a six membered aromatic ring the compound is a phthalate. In formula II, when R1, R2, R3, and R4 are hydrogen and W is a single bond, the compound is a succinate. When R1, R2, R3 and R4 are hydrogen and W is an oxygen, the compound is a diglycolate. Other compounds include the mono-iodopropynyl esters of anhydrides such as ethylenediamine tetraacetic dianhydride, 3,3-dimethylglutaric anhydride, S-acetylmercaptosuccinic anhydride, dichloromaleic anhydride, 2-dodecen-1-yl succinic anhydride and cis-5-norbomene-endo-2,3-dicarboxylic anhydride. Where hydrophilicity is desired, the sodium salts may be used because of their extremely high water solubility. Preferred carboxylic acid anhydrides include, but are not limited to, succinic, itaconic, phthalic, tetrachlorophthalic and diglycolic anhydride. Examples of such compounds are described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,844,891 and 5,073,570.
More preferably, the iodine containing biocide is 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate (IPBC). The IPBC may be any grade of IPBC including, but not limited to, an essentially pure commercial grade IPBC in solid form and commercially available 6% and 10% grades in a solvent.
Another class of suitable iodopropynyl compounds are those having the formula:

I—C≡C—(CH2O2)2—R8

where R8 is benzyl or benzyl substituted with a methyl, methoxy, carboxyl, halogen or nitro group. A preferred compound is p-chlorophenyl-3-iodopropynyl formal.

The iodine containing biocide may optionally be encapsulated, such as, for example, in cyclodextrin; calixarenes, such as 4-tert-butylcali[4]arene; liposomes; catezones; and amphiphilic betaine polymers. One example of an encapsulated iodine containing biocide is IPBC encapsulated in cyclodextrin, available as Troy Polyphase 604 from Troy Chemical Co. of East Hanover, N.J.
Ketone Acids
The ketone acid may be a cyclic or acyclic ketone acid. The term “cyclic ketone acid” as used herein includes compounds that have a ring containing a carbonyl group.
Suitable cyclic ketone acids include, but are not limited to, those having the formula 




and salts thereof, wherein R9, R10, and R11 are independently C1-C10 alkyl, C1-C10 alkenyl, C1-C10 aldenyl, aryl, aryl substituted with halogen, or (C1-C10 alkyl)aryl. Preferably, R9, R10, and R11 are independently C1-C4 alkyl; or R9 and R10 form a 5-12 member ring. Preferred cyclic ketone acids, include, but are not limited to, those having the formula 




and salts thereof. A more preferred cyclic ketone acid is dehydroacetic acid and salts thereof (including hydrated thereof, such as sodium dehydroacetate (e.g. sodium dehydroacetate hydrate and sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate).

The cyclic ketone acid may optionally be encapsulated by any method in the art to increase its solubility in a desired solvent or formulation. For example, the cyclic ketone acid may be encapsulated in cyclodextrin; calixarenes, such as 4-tert-butylcali[4]arene; liposomes; catezones; and amphiphilic betaine polymers.
A preferred combination of cyclic ketone acid and ioidine containing biocide is dehydroacetic acid and IPBC.
Aromatic Carboxylic Acids
Suitable aromatic carboxylic acids include, but are not limited to, benzoic acids, derivatives thereof, and salts thereof. According to one embodiment, the aromatic carboxylic acid has the formula 




where R12 and R13 are independently H, —OH, or —OC(O)CH3; and R14 is H, Na, K, Ca, or Mg. When R14 is Ca or Mg, the ratio or aromatic carboxylic acid to Ca or Mg may be 1:1 or 2:1.

For example, the aromatic carboxylic acid can be a hydroxy benzoic acid, derivative thereof, or salt thereof. A preferred hydroxy benzoic acid is salicylic acid and salts thereof. Suitable salts of salicylic acid include, but are not limited to, sodium salicylate.
A preferred combination of salicylic acid or salt thereof and iodine containing biocide is sodium salicylate and IPBC.
The composition may include a solvent, such as water and water miscible solvents, including, but not limited to, alcohols, glycols (e.g. glycerin, diglycerin, butylene glycol, butoxydiglycol, propylene glycol, and dipropylene glycol), esters, ethers, polyethers, and any combination of any of the foregoing. For example, the solvent may comprise water and an alcohol, such as phenoxyethanol and/or benzyl alcohol.
Other adjuvants may be included in the composition as known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Suitable adjuvants include, but are not limited to, preservatives; solubilizing agents; chelating agents, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and salts thereof and zeolites; surfactants, such as cationic, anionic, nonionic, and amphoteric surfactants; antioxidants, such as butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylhydroxytoluene (BHT); amine oxides; tertiary amines; hydrotropes; zinc compounds; hydrotropes; flouride compounds; magnesium salts; calcium salts; carboxylic acids; phosphates; phosphonates; formaldehyde donors; glycereth-7; myristyl myristate; glutaraldehydes; biguanides; natural products, such as usnic acid and tea tree oils; and any combination of any of the foregoing.
Suitable preservatives include, but are not limited to, quaternary ammonium chlorides, such as benzethonium chloride (available as Hyamine® 1622 from Lonza Inc. of Fair Lawn, N.J.) and benzalkonium chlorides (available as Barquat® MB-50 and MB-80 from Lonza Inc. of Fair Lawn, N.J.); hydantoins, such as dimethylhydantoin and halogenated hydantoins; isothiazolinones; parabens, such as methylparaben, ethylparaben, and propylparaben; chloroxylenol; chlorhexidine; phenoxyethanol; benzyl alcohol; phenethyl alcohol; benzoic acid and salts thereof; chlorobutanol; sorbic acid and salts thereof; triclosan; triclocarban; and any combination of any of the foregoing.
Typically, the composition is an aqueous or oil based system and is not an emulsion. For compositions which are oil based, the iodine containing biocide is preferably not encapsulated and the ketone acid is preferably not a hydrate. A suitable solvent for an oil based system is phenoxyethanol. For compositions which are water based, the iodine containing biocide is preferably encapsulated to enhance its water solubility and the ketone acid is preferably a hydrate.
The composition can be a liquid or a solid.
The weight ratio of (1) ketone acid, aromatic carboxylic acid, or salts thereof or mixtures thereof to (2) iodine containing biocide broadly ranges from about 0.0006:1 to about 1990:1 and preferably ranges from about 0.0063:1 to about 1400:1. According to another embodiment, the molar ratio ranges from 0.063:1 to about 140:1 or from about 0.63:1 to about 14:1.
To prepare a formulation containing the composition of the present invention, a concentrate is generally first prepared. Table A illustrates the components and the ranges of components present in a typical concentrate (based upon 100% total weight of concentrate).









TABLE A







Ketone Acid, Aromatic




Carboxylic Acid, Salts


Ranges
Iodine Containing Biocide
Thereof, or Mixtures Thereof







Broad
from about 0.05 to about 80%
from about 0.05 to




about 99.5%


Preferred
from about 0.5 to about 30%
from about 0.50 to about 70%


More
from about 1 to about 15%
from about 5 to about 40%


Preferred









Before use, the concentrate is diluted, preferably with the same solvent as was used in the concentrate. Use dilutions of the composition typically comprise a biocidally, fungicidally, or bactericidally effective amount of (1) the iodine containing biocide (i.e., component (a)) and/or (2) the mixture of components (a) and (b) (where component (b) is the ketone acid, aromatic carboxylic acid, or salt thereof, or a mixture thereof). The use dilutions also typically comprise a biocidal, fungicidal, or bactericidal enhancing (or potentiating) effective amount of the ketone acid or salt thereof, aromatic carboxylic acid or salt thereof, or mixture thereof (i.e., component (b)). Generally, use dilutions contain from about 0.0001%, 0.01%, or 0.1% to about 2% by weight of the concentrate. According to one preferred embodiment, use dilutions contain from about 0.1 to about 0.5% or 1% by weight of the concentrate.
Table B illustrates the components and generally the ranges of components present in the use dilution (based upon 100% total weight of use dilution).









TABLE B







Ketone Acid, Aromatic Carboxylic



Iodine
Acid, Salts Thereof, or Mixtures


Ranges
Containing Biocide
Thereof







Broad
from about 0.00005 to
from about 0.00005 to about



about 0.40%
0.4975%


Preferred
from about 0.0005 to
from about 0.0005 to about 0.35%



about 0.15%


More
from about 0.001 to
from about 0.005 to about 0.2%


Preferred
about 0.075%









Another embodiment of the present invention is a method for inhibiting the growth of microorganisms, bacteria (e.g., S. aureus (ATCC # 6538), P. aeruginosa (ATCC # 9027), and E. coli (ATCC # 8739)), and/or fungi (e.g., Candida albicans and Aspergillus niger) on a substrate by applying an antimicrobial, bactericidal, or fungicidal effective amount of the composition of the present invention to the substrate. The composition may be applied to the substrate by any method known to one of ordinary skill in the art including, but not limited to, brushing, dipping, soaking, vacuum impregnation, and pressure treatment.
The composition of the present invention may be prepared by mixing the ketone acid or salt thereof and/or the aromatic carboxylic acid or salt thereof, the iodine containing biocide, solvents, and adjuvants. The mixture may be heated and/or stirred to expedite mixing.
Description of the Preferred Embodiments
The following examples illustrate the invention without limitation. All parts and percentages are given by weight unless otherwise indicated.
EXAMPLE 1
Each anionic shampoo sample in Table 1 below was tested as follows. A standardized mixed bacterial solution was prepared according to the following procedure. 3 agar stabs of S. Aureus (ATCC # 6538), P. aeruginosa (ATCC # 9027), and E. Coli (ATCC # 8739) were separately incubated at about 35° C. for about 24 hours. Each stab was then washed with 3 mL of sterile 0.85% saline solution. The washes of the 3 stabs were pooled together to form an organism mixture. The absorbance of the organism mixture at 530 nm was adjusted to about 1.00 by adding saline. The spectrometer was calibrated with a saline blank. A 5 mL aliquot of the organism mixture was mixed together to produce the standardized mixed bacterial solution. Then, 40 g of each shampoo sample was inoculated with 0.2 mL of the standardized mixed bacterial solution and mixed. 1 g of the mixture was added to a sterile 20×150 mm screw cap test tube.
9 mL of sterile D/E neutralizer broth was added to the test tube and mixed to form a 10−1 dilution. Serial dilutions were prepared through to a 10−6 dilution with phosphate buffered water. The serial dilutions were plated onto Tryptic Soy Agar and incubated for 2 days at about 35° C. Bacteria counts were performed after 0 and 14 days. The results are shown in Table 1.
The anionic protein shampoo composition was comprised of 35% by weight of sodium lauryl ether sulfate; 25% by weight of triethanolamine lauryl sulfate; 3% by weight coconut diethanolamide (cocamide DEA); 1% by weight of hydrolyzed collagen, available as Polypro 5000TM from Hormel Foods of Austin, Minn.; and 36% by weight of deionized water.
The sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate, sodium salicylate, and IPBC (Glycacil® 2000) shampoo samples were prepared by mixing the appropriate amounts of the preservatives and the aforementioned protein shampoo composition and heating the mixture to about 50° C. for about 15 minutes.










TABLE 1









S. aureus, P. aeruginosa,




and E. coli (cfu/g)











Shampoo
Day 0
Day 14







Unpreserved Protein Shampoo
3.0 × 106
3.0 × 107



Composition



0.5% Sodium Salicylate1 and
3.0 × 106
<10



0.5% Glycacil ® 20002*



0.10% Sodium Dehydroacetate
3.0 × 106
<10



Monohydrate3,



0.10% Sodium Salicylat1, and



0.50% Glycacil ® 20002*



0.25% Sodium Dehydroacetate
3.0 × 106
<10



Monohydrate3,



0.25% Sodium Salicylate1, and



0.25% Glycacil ® 20002*



>0.5% Sodium Dehydroacetate
3.0 × 106
4.0 × 103



Monohydrate3*



>1.0% Sodium Salicylate1*
3.0 × 106
5.0 × 102



>1.0% Glycacil ® 20002*
3.0 × 106
1.0 × 107







All percentages in Table 1 are in percent by weight based upon 100% by weight of total shampoo. 



1Sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate is available from Lonza Inc. of Fair Lawn, NJ. 



2Glycacil ® 2000 is iodopropynyl butylcarbamate and is available from Lonza Inc. of Fair Lawn, NJ. 



3Sodium salicylate is available from Sigma Chemical Co. of St. Louis, MO. 



*Below the specified concentration of preservative, the shampoo contained ≧10 cfu/g after 14 days. 






Synergism for the sodium salicylate/Glycacil® 2000 solution in Table 1 against S. aureus, P. aeruginosa, and E. coli was calculated by the method described in C. E. Kull et al., “Mixtures of Quaternary Ammonium Compounds and Long-chain Fatty Acids as Antifungal Agents”, Applied Microbiology, 9:538-541(1961). The synergism value (QA/Qa+QB/Qb) was determined. QA is the concentration of sodium salicylate (in percent by weight) in the mixture, which yielded 100% retardation of the bacteria, i.e., resulted in a plate count of <10 cfu/g after 14 days. Qa is the concentration of sodium salicylate alone (in percent by weight) required to yield 100% retardation of the bacteria. QB is the concentration of Glycacil® 2000 (in percent by weight) in the mixture, which yielded 100% retardation of the bacteria. Qb is the concentration of Glycacil® 2000 alone (in percent by weight) required to yield 100% retardation of the bacteria.
When the value of (QA/Qa+QB/Qb) is less than one, the mixture is synergistic. Values for (QA/Qa+QB/Qb) of 1 and greater than 1, represent an additive effect and an antagonistic effect, respectively.
The results are shown in Table 2 below.












TABLE 2





Preservative Mixture
QA
QB
Qa
Qb
QA/Qa + QB/Qb







0.5% Sodium
0.5%
0.5%
>1.00%
>1.00%
<1


Salicylate and


0.5% Glycacil ® 2000









The synergism for the sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate/sodium salicylate/Glycacil® 2000 solutions in Table 1 was also calculated by this method. QA, QB, Qa, and Qb are defined as above. QC is the concentration of sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate (in percent by weight) in the mixture, which yielded 100% retardation of the bacteria. Qc is the concentration of sodium dehydroacetate monohydrate alone (in percent by weight) required to yield 100% retardation of the bacteria. When the value of (QA/Qa+QB/Qb+QC/Q) is less than one, the mixture is synergistic. Values for (QA/Qa+QB/Qb+QC/Qc) of 1 and greater than 1, represent an additive effect and an antagonistic effect, respectively.
The results are shown in Table 3.









TABLE 3







0.25% Sodium




Salicylate, 0.25%



0.10% Sodium Salicylate,
Glycacil ® 2000,



0.50% Glycacil ® 2000, and
and 0.25% Sodium



0.10% Sodium Dehydroacetate
Dehydroacetate 


Coefficient
Monohydrate
Monohydrate

















QA
0.10%
0.25%


QB
0.50%
0.25%


QC
0.10%
0.25%


Qa
>1.00%
>1.00%


Qb
>1.00%
>1.00%


Qc
>0.50%
>0.50%


QA/Qa +
<0.8
<1


QB/Qb + QC/Qc









All patents, applications, articles, publications, and test methods mentioned above are hereby incorporated by reference.
Many variations of the present invention will suggest themselves to those skilled in the art in light of the above detailed description. Such obvious variations are within the full intended scope of the appended claims.

## Claims

1. A composition comprising
(a) iodopropynyl butylcarbamate; and 
(b) (i) dehydroacetic acid or a salt thereof, (ii) salicylic acid or a salt thereof, or (iii) mixture thereof.

2. The composition of claim 1, wherin the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate is encapsulated in cyclodextrin.

3. The composition of claim 1, wherein the dehydroacetic acid or salt thereof is encapsulated in cyclodextrin.

4. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a solvent.

5. The composition of claim 4, wherein the solvent is water, an alcohol, a glycol, an ester, an ether, a polyether or any combination of any of the foregoing.

6. The composition of claim 4, wherein the solvent comprises water and alcohol.

7. The composition of claim 4, wherein the alcohol is phenoxyethanol.

8. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a biocidally effective amount of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

9. The composition of claim 1, wherein the composition comprises a fungicidally effective amount of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate.

10. The composition of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the dehydroacetic acid or salt thereof to the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate ranges from about 0.0006:1 to about 1990:1.

11. The composition of claim 10, wherein the weight ratio of the dehydroacetic acid or salt thereof to the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate ranges from about 0.0063:1 to about 1400:1.

12. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition is a use dilution comprising from about 0.00005 to about 0.4975% by weight of the dehydroacetic acid or salt thereof and from about 0.00005 to about 0.40% by weight of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, based upon 100% weight of total composition.

13. The composition of claim 12, wherein said composition is a use dilution comprising from about 0.0005 to about 0.35% by weight of the dehydroacetic acid or salt thereof and from about 0.0005 to about 0.15% by weight of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, based upon 100% weight of total composition.

14. The composition of claim 1, wherein the weight ratio of the salicylic acid or a salt thereof to the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate ranges from about 0.0006:1 to about 1990:1.

15. The composition of claim 14, wherein the weight ratio of the salicylic acid or a salt thereof to the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate ranges from about 0.0063:1 to about 1400:1.

16. The composition of claim 1, wherein said composition is a use dilution comprising from about 0.00005 to about 0.4975% by weight of the salicylic acid or a salt thereof and from about 0.00005 to about 0.40% by weight of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, based upon 100% weight of total composition.

17. The composition of claim 16, wherein said composition is a use dilution comprising from about 0.0005 to about 0.35% by weight of the salicylic acid or a salt thereof and from about 0.0005 to about 0.15% by weight of the iodopropynyl butylcarbamate, based upon 100% weight of total composition.

18. An antimicrobial composition comprising a synergistic mixture of:
(a) dehydroacetic acid or a salt thereof; and 
(b) 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate.

19. An antimicrobial composition comprising a synergistic mixture of:
(a) salicylic acid or a salt thereof; and 
(b) 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate.

20. An antimicrobial composition comprising a synergistic mixture of:
(a) dehydroacetic acid or a salt thereof; 
(b) salicylic acid or a salt thereof; and 
(c) 3-iodo-2-propynyl butyl carbamate.

21. A method of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms comprising applying an effective amount of the composition of claim 1.

22. A method of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms comprising applying an effective amount of the composition of claim 18.

23. A method of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms comprising applying an effective amount of the composition of claim 19.

24. A method of inhibiting the growth of microorganisms comprising applying an effective amount of the composition of claim 20.

25. A personal care product comprising an effective amount of the composition of claim 1.

26. The personal care of claim 25, wherein the personal care product is a shampoo, conditioner, cream, lotion, cosmetic or soap.

27. The composition of claim 1, further comprising a preservative.

28. The composition of claim 27, wherein the preservative is a quaternary ammonium chloride, a hydantoin, an isothiazolone, a paraben, chloroxylenol, chlorohexidine, phenoxyethanol, benzyl alcohol, phenethyl alcohol, benzoic acid or salts thereof, chlorobutanol, sorbic acid, tricosan, triclocarban, and any combination of the foregoing.

29. The composition of claim 28, wherein the preservative is benzethonium chloride, benzealknonium chloride, or a mixture thereof.