Method for reducing organic contamination

• US 7,662,294 B1
• Filed: 02/01/2005
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/02/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Streamline Innovations, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Henry Wilmore Jr. Cox
• Inventors: Cox, Henry Wilmore Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Douyon; Lorna M.
• Application Number:
  US11/047,879
• Time in Patent Office: 1,841 Days
• Field of Search: 210/758, 210/753, 210/759, 210/760, 210/764, 210/909, 134/22.1, 134/22.11, 134/22.14, 134/22.19, 134/42, 405/128.5, 588/315, 588/320, 588/405
• US Class Current: 210/759
• CPC Class Codes: A01N 59/00 Biocides, pest repellants or attractants, or plant growth regulators containing elements or inorganic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2101/02 Chemical warfare substances, e.g. cholinesterase inhibitors
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2101/04 Pesticides, e.g. insecticides, herbicides, fungicides or nematocides
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2101/06 Explosives, propellants or pyrotechnics, e.g. rocket fuel or napalm
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 2101/22 containing halogen
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 3/00 Processes for making harmful chemical substances harmless or less harmful, by effecting a chemical change in the substances consuming noxious gases by combustion F23G7/06
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 3/33 by chemical fixing the harmful substance, e.g. by chelation or complexation
• CPC Class Codes: A62D 3/38 by oxidation; by combustion
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/002 involving in-situ ground water treatment
• CPC Class Codes: B09C 1/08 chemically
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/683 by addition of complex-forming compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/72 by oxidation C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/722 Oxidation by peroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/725 by catalytic oxidation
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/766 by means of halogens other than chlorine or of halogenated compounds containing halogen other than chlorine
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/78 with ozone C02F1/4672 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/101 Sulfur compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/30 Organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/32 Hydrocarbons, e.g. oil
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2101/322 : Volatile compounds, e.g. benzene
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 : Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/00 : Materials not provided for elsewhere
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 3/32 : for absorbing liquids to remove pollution, e.g. oil, gasoline, fat
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 : using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 210/909 : Aromatic compound, e.g. pcb, phenol

Abstract

Certain exemplary embodiments provide methods for reducing a concentration of a contaminant associated with a medium, which can be any substance or material, such as soil, water, air, and/or fluid. In one exemplary method, the medium is treated with a ferric chelate and an oxidizing agent in amounts effective to oxidize at least a portion of the contaminant.

Claims

1. A method for reducing a concentration of a contaminant associated with a medium, comprising treating the medium with ferric gluconate and an oxidizing agent in amounts effective to oxidize at least a portion of the contaminant, wherein the contaminant is an organic compound having at least one aromatic functional group, wherein the oxidizing agent comprises a hydrogen peroxide, persulphate, permanganate, chlorine dioxide, halogen, or mixtures thereof, and wherein the medium is a fluid.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the medium is a fluid within a space defined at least in part by a structure selected from:

tunnel, mine, well, ditch, canyon, cavern, cave, hole, corner, niche, bunker, building, compartment, room, clean room, enclosure, container, tank, pipe, equipment, ship, airplane, vehicle, automobile, and train.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the oxidizing agent is hydrogen peroxide.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating occurs in situ.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating occurs ex situ.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating occurs at a pH in the range of approximately 5 to approximately 8.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein said treating occurs at approximately a pH of the medium.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein a substantial portion of the contaminant is oxidized.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising preparing the ferric gluconate.

10. The method of claim 1, further comprising, to improve oxidation, adjusting an operating parameter of at least one item selected from:

the ferric gluconate, the oxidizing agent, the medium, and the contaminant.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising, to improve oxidation, controlling an operating parameter of at least one item selected from:

the ferric gluconate, the peroxide compound, the medium, and the contaminant.

12. The method of claim 1, further comprising determining a reduction in the concentration of the contaminant associated with the medium.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising dispersing a mixture of the ferric gluconate and the oxidizing agent in a form selected from:

liquid, foam, solid, gaseous, and aerosol.

14. The method of claim 1, further comprising decontaminating the medium.

15. The method of claim 1, further comprising sanitizing the medium.

16. The method of claim 1, further comprising killing a biological selected from a:

mold, fungi, protozoa, amoeba, bacteria, virus, and prion.

17. The method of claim 1, further comprising decomposing waste material containing at least one aliphatic or aromatic functional group.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising decontaminating a clean room environment.

19. The method of claim 1, further comprising treating the medium to reduce a concentration of iron associated with the medium.

20. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeating said treating of the medium to improve oxidation.

21. The method of claim 1, further comprising adding an organic compound to the medium to improve said method.