System for the removal of organic contaminants from water, air and soil

• US 6,582,608 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1994
• Issued: 06/24/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 07/01/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: HiTech Polymers, Inc. (3M Company)
• Inventors: Miller, Gerald W.
• Primary Examiner(s): CINTINS, IVARS C
• Application Number:
  US08/265,267
• Time in Patent Office: 3,280 Days
• Field of Search: 134/7, 208/391, 210/668, 210/669, 210/680, 210/693, 210/760, 210/924, 210/679, 210/692, 951/43
• US Class Current: 210/668
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/00 Separating processes involving the treatment of liquids with solid sorbents using liquid sorbents B01D11/00; ion exchange processes or materials, sorbent materials in general B01J, e.g. sorbents for chromatography B01J20/281; for investigating or analysing materials G01N30/00; Apparatus therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/00 Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion devices for separating or removing fatty or oily substances or similar floating material from water, waste water, or sewage C02F1/40; cleaning or keeping clear the surface of open water from oil or like materials E02B15/04; arrangements for separating lubricants from refrigerants F25B43/02
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 17/0202 by ab- or adsorption
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2253/202 Polymeric adsorbents
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 2257/70 Organic compounds not provided for in groups B01D2257/00 - B01D2257/602
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/02 by adsorption, e.g. preparative gas chromatography solid sorbent compositions B01J20/00, preparation of inorganic compounds or elements C01
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 53/04 with stationary adsorbents B01D53/025 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/26 Synthetic macromolecular compounds
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/261 obtained by reactions only involving carbon to carbon unsaturated bonds macromolecular compounds obtained by reactions only involving carbon-to-carbon unsaturated bonds per se C08F
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28004 Sorbent size or size distribution, e.g. particle size
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28014 characterised by their form
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28019 Spherical, ellipsoidal or cylindrical
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28042 Shaped bodies; Monolithic structures
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 20/28045 Honeycomb or cellular structures; Solid foams or sponges
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/44 Materials comprising a mixture of organic materials materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2220/46 Materials comprising a mixture of inorganic and organic materials materials coated or impregnated on a carrier B01J20/32
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/02 Extraction using liquids, e.g. washing, leaching , flotation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/285 using synthetic organic sorbents
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/681 by addition of solid materials for removing an oily layer on water
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence

Abstract

Discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric alloyed material shapes having about 55-95% by weight thermoplastic elastomer and about 5-45% thermoplastic polymer and about 0-12% by weight filler are used for removing organic contaminates from contaminated fluids. The shapes are typically spheres having a maximum dimension of 0.125 inches, or circular discs having a thickness of less than 6 millimeters. The shapes are put in a loose form or packing, and a fluid containing organic contaminants (such as water, air, or a soil slurry) is brought into contact with the shapes so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid, typically absorbing more than 90% of the contaminants in the first pass through. The contaminated fluid is typically passed through an ozone generator before being brought into contact with the shapes. The shapes may be foamed, e.g. utilizing about 0.1-10% by weight foaming agent. The invention allows removal of organic contaminants to ppm levels from very large loadings, such as crude contaminated water, fuel-containing soil, and open air spills of organic solvents.

Claims

1. A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated liquid, gas, soil in fluid form, or mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric shapes of a blend of an elastomeric material which includes at least one elastomer selected from the group consisting of polystyrene-butadiene copolymers, polystyrene-butadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymers, polystyrene-isoprene-polystyrene triblock copolymers, and polystyrene grafts of elastomers with about 5-45% by weight of a thermoplastic polymer which is a polystyrene, a polyolefin, or mixtures thereof;

(b) providing the shapes in a loose form or packing; and

(c) bringing a fluid containing organic contaminants into contact with the shapes in loose form or packing so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid.

2. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) is further practiced by blending and alloying about 4-12% by weight of a filler with the elastomeric material and thermoplastic polymer.

3. A method as recited in claim 2 wherein step (a) is further practiced using carbonates, oxides or hydroxides of calcium or magnesium, talc, silica, diatomaceous earth, or mixtures thereof as the filler.

4. A method as recited in claim 3 comprising the further step prior to step (c), of passing the contaminated fluid through an ozone generator.

5. A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step prior to step (c), of passing the contaminated fluid through an ozone generator.

6. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) is practiced by forming a column of geometric shapes, and passing a stream of contaminated fluid through the column.

7. A method as recited in claim 6 comprising the further step of replacing the geometric shapes in the column once saturated with organic contaminant.

8. A method as recited in claim 6 wherein step (b) is practiced to remove at least about 90% of the organic contaminants in a first pass of the contaminated fluid through the column.

9. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) is further practiced by blending about 0.1-10% by weight foaming agent with the elastomeric material and thermoplastic polymer to produce foamed shapes.

10. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (b) is practiced by forming a column of geometric shapes, and passing a stream of contaminated fluid through the column.

11. A method as recited in claim 10 wherein step (b) is practiced to remove at least about 90% of the organic contaminants in a first pass of the contaminated fluid through the column.

12. A method as recited in claim 1 comprising the further step of flooding contaminated soil with water, and retrieving the water;

and wherein step (c) is practiced by passing the retrieved water through a column of the geometric shapes.

13. A method as recited in claim 1 wherein step (a) is practiced by using a blend of elastomeric material with about 6-25% by weight thermoplastic polymer.

14. A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated liquid, gas, soil in fluid form, or mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric shapes of a blend of elastomeric material with about 5-45% by weight thermoplastic polymer;

(b) providing the shapes in a loose form or packing; and

(c) bringing a fluid containing organic contaminants into contact with the shapes in loose form or packing so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid, wherein

step (a) is further practiced by blending about 0.1-10% by weight foaming agent with the elastomeric material and thermoplastic polymer to produce foamed shapes.

15. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein step (a) is further practiced to produce disc-shaped geometric shapes having a maximum dimension of about 0.5 cm, and a thickness of about 0.01-6 mm.

16. A method as recited in claim 14 wherein step (a) is further practiced to produce spherical shapes having a diameter of less than about 0.125 inches.

17. A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated liquid, gas,soil in fluid form, or mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric shapes of a blend of elastomeric material with about 5-45% by weight thermoplastic polymer;

(b) providing the shapes in a loose form or packing; and

(c) bringing a fluid containing organic contaminants into contact with the shapes in loose form or packing so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid, and

(d) flooding contaminated soil with water, and retrieving the water; and

wherein

step (c) is practiced by passing the retrieved water through a column of the geometric shapes.

18. A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated liquid, gas, soil, in fluid form, or mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric shapes of a blend of elastomeric material with about 5-45% by weight thermoplastic polymer;

(b) providing the shapes in a loose form or packing; and

(c) bringing a fluid containing organic contaminants into contact with the shapes in loose form or packing so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid, wherein

step (a) is further practiced to produce disc-shaped geometric shapes having a maximum dimension of about 0.5 cm, and a thickness of about 0.01-6 mm.

19. A method of removing organic contaminants from contaminated liquid, gas, soil in fluid form, or mixtures thereof, comprising the steps of:

(a) producing discrete non-clumping mechanically stable geometric shapes of a blend of elastomeric material with about 5-45% by weight thermoplastic polymer;

(b) providing the shapes in a loose form or packing; and

(c) bringing a fluid containing organic contaminants into contact with the shapes in loose form or packing so that the shapes absorb organic contaminants from the fluid, wherein

step (a) is further practiced to produce spherical shapes having a diameter of less than about 0.125 inches.