US 2018/0230408 Al  5  Aug. 16, 2018  TABLE 3-continued  [0077]  Electrolyte oxidizing agents generally can be  added at up to their individual solubility limits, although the  maximum amount generally is on the order of 30 g/L total  [0070]  The composition advantageously need not include  an oxidizing acid to have lethal efficacy against endospores.  Many oxyacids, such as perchloric, chloric, chlorous,  hypochlorous, persulfuric, sulfuric, sulfurous, hyposulfu› rous, pyrosulfuric, di sulfurous, thiosulfurous, pemitric,  nitric, nitrous, hyponitrous, perchromic, chromic, dichro› mic, permanganic, manganic, perphosphoric, phosphoric,  [0069]  In certain embodiments, preference can be given to  those organic acids which are, or can be made to be, highly  soluble in water; acids that include groups that enhance  solubility in water (e.g., hydroxyl groups), examples of  which include tartaric acid, citric acid, and citramalic acid,  can be preferred in some circumstances. In these and/or  other embodiments, preference can be given to those organic  acids which are biocompatible; many of the organic acids  listed above are used in preparing or treating food products,  personal care products, and the like.  [0076]  Also present in the solute component of the com› position is an electrolyte oxidizing agent that does not  contain any active hydrogen atoms when subjected to the  Zerewitinoff determination.  Non-limiting examples  of  potentially useful electrolyte, preferably inorganic, oxidiz› ing agents include compounds which include anions such as  manganate,  permanganate,  peroxochromate,  chromate,  dichromate, peroxymonosulfate, and the like. (Some of  these electrolytes can impact pH, so a composition formu› lated to have a given pH might require adjustment after  addition of the oxidizing agent(s).) Preferred are those  compounds having E 0  red  values of at least + 1.25 V, prefer› ably at least +1.5 V, more preferably at least +1.75 V, even  more preferably at least +2.0 V and most preferably at least  +2.25  V.  [0075]  The amount of any given acid employed can be  determined from the target pH of a given composition and  the  pKa  value(s) of the chosen acids in view of the type and  amounts of compound(s), if any, utilized to achieve the  desired effective solute concentration in the composition.  (More discussion of osmolarity and the types of osmolarity› adjusting compounds appears below.)  [0074]  Some oxidizing acids are not particularly stable in  aqueous solutions. Accordingly, where a composition with  an oxidizing acid is desired, preparing the oxidizing acid in  vitro can be advantageous. For example, to a solvent com› ponent of a composition can be provided acetic acid and  hydrogen peroxide which, when contacted, reversibly form  peracetic acid.  [0073]  Preferred E 0  red  values are those which are at least  +0.20 V, at least +0.25  V, at least +0.33 V, at least +0.40 V,  at least +0.50 V, at least +0.60 V, at least +0.67 V, at least  +0.75 V, at least +0.80  V, at least +0.90 V, at least +1.00 V,  at least +1.10 V, at least +1.20 V, or even at least +1.25  V.  [0072]  Preferred  pKa  values are greater than -1, greater  than -1.5, greater than -2, greater than -2.5, greater than -3,  greater than -3.5, greater than -4, greater than -4.5, greater  than -5, and even greater than -5.5. Acids with lower  pKa  values can be used if other steps are taken to ensure  compliance with required or desired properties of the com› position such as pH range ( discussed above) and effective  solute concentration ( discussed below).  [0068]  Acidity can be achieved by adding to the solvent  component (or vice versa) one or more acids. Strong (min› eral) acids such as HCl, H$_{2}$ SO$_{4}$ , H$_{3}$ PO$_{4}$ , HNO$_{3}$ , H$_{3}$ BO$_{3}$, and  the like or organic acids, particularly organic polyacids, may  be used. Examples of organic acids include monoprotic  acids such as formic acid, acetic acid and substituted vari› ants ( e.g., hydroxyacetic acid, chloroacetic acid, dichloro› acetic acid, phenylacetic acid, and the like), propanoic acid  and substituted variants (e.g., lactic acid, pyruvic acid, and  the like), any of a variety of benzoic acids (e.g., mandelic  acid, chloromandelic acid, salicylic acid, and the like),  glucuronic acid, and the like; diprotic acids such as oxalic  acid and substituted variants ( e.g., oxamic acid), butanedioic  acid and substituted variants (e.g., malic acid, aspartic acid,  tartaric acid, citramalic acid, and the like), pentanedioic acid  and substituted variants (e.g., glutamic acid, 2-ketoglutaric  acid, and the like), hexanedioic acid and substituted variants  (e.g., mucic acid), butenedioic acid (both cis and trans  isomers), iminodiacetic acid, phthalic acid, and the like;  triprotic acids such as citric acid, 2-methylpropane-1,2,3- tricarboxylic acid, benzenetricarboxylic acid, nitrilotriacetic  acid, and the like; tetraprotic acids such as prehnitic acid,  pyromellitic acid, and the like; and even higher degree acids  (e.g., penta-, hexa-, heptaprotic, etc.). Where a tri-, tetra-, or  higher acid is used, one or more of the carboxyl protons can  be replaced by cationic atoms or groups ( e.g., alkali metal  ions), which can be the same or different.  [0067]  The composition is somewhat acidic. Generally,  the composition has a pH of no less than 4.5, and certain  embodiments can have a pH ofno less than 4.55, 4.60, 4.75,  4.80, 4.85, 4.90, 4.95 or even 5.00. The composition also  generally has a pH ofno more than 6.75, 6.50, 6.25, or even  6.00. Ranges of pH values employing each of the lower  limits in combination with each of the upper limits are  envisioned. The composition can have a pH value of 5.5–1.  0, 5.6–0.8, 5.7–0.8, 5.75–0.8, 5.8–0.75, and 5.75–0.75.  [0066]  For further information on organic liquid-contain› ing solvent components, the interested reader is directed to  U.S. Pat. Pub!. No. 2016/0073628.  [0071]  If an oxidizing acid is included in the composition,  those which have relatively high  pKa  values (i.e., are not  considered to be particularly strong acids) and positive  standard potentials (E 0  red)  are preferred. The former permits  production of a composition that has a pH value that is not  too low, i.e., below -1.5, preferably not below -1.75, more  preferably not below -2, and most preferably not below  -2.2, so that the composition can be used without extreme  protective measures by those charged with handling and  applying them to surfaces. The latter permits the acid to have  sufficient oxidizing capacity to permit overcoming or avoid› ance of certain endospore defenses such as, for example,  oxidation of disulfide linkages and protein polymers on the  endospore coat, which allows the outer spore coat to be  breached.  phosphorous, hypophosphorus, periodic, iodic, iodous, etc.,  are considered to be oxidizing acids. Organic oxidizing acids  include, but are not limited to, peracetic acid, peroxalic acid  and diperoxalic acid.  Representative alcohols, with O values  1-propanol  2-propanol (IPA)  6.8  6.1 