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US 3,959,127 AGranted
Biodegradation of oil on water surfaces
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorsRichard Bartha, Ronald M. Atlas
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Abstract
Free-floating oil slicks on bodies of sea and fresh water are disposed of microbial degradation at a greatly enhanced rate by applying the essential microbial nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus, to the oil slick in a form that dissolves in or adheres to the oil and thus selectively stimulates the activity of oil-metabolizing microorganisms.
Claims1
A process for removing polluting petroleum hydrocarbons from bodies of water by rendering them degradable to microorganisms indigenous to natural waters comprising:
- stimulating the proliferation and activity of said hydrocarbon degrading microorganisms by adding to the hydrocarbons sources of nitrogen and phosphorous having a strong affinity for oils,
- said sources being, respectively, a paraffinized urea slow-release garden fertilizer with a nitrogen content of substantially 25% and pyrophosphoric acid dioctyl ester in a substantially 9 to 1 ratio of fertilizer to ester.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.