Patent ID: 7384545

Claim:
A fluid container for containing a liquid nutrient having a pH equal to or greater than about 2.5, said container having an interior surface having a metal-ion sequestering agent provided in a localized area of the interior surface and immobilized on the interior surface, said sequestering agent having a high selectivity for certain metal ions and a low-affinity for at least one other ion, the container formed by a two shot molding, insert molding or two shot injection stretch blow molding process, said metal ion sequestering agent provided for removing a designated metal ion from said liquid nutrient for inhibiting growth of microbes in said liquid nutrient and an antimicrobial agent provided for at least maintaining an amount of microbes in said liquid nutrient to a prescribed condition, wherein said metal-ion sequestering a agent comprises derivatized nanoparticles comprising inorganic nanoparticles having an attached metal-ion sequestrant, wherein said inorganic nanoparticles have an average particle size of less than 200 nm and the derivatized nanoparticles have a stability constant greater than 10 10 with iron (III), and wherein said metal ion sequestrant is attached to the nanoparticles by reacting the nanoparticles with a silicon alkoxide intermediate of the sequestrant having the general formula: Si(OR) 4-x R′ x ; wherein x is an integer from 1 to 3; R is an alkyl group; and R′ is an organic group containing an alpha amino carboxylate, a hydroxamate, or a catechol.