Clarification of xanthan gum
AssigneeMerck & Co., Inc.
InventorGeorge T. Colegrove
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Fermentation broths and other aqueous suspensions containing a dissolved xanthan gum and suspended solids resulting from the fermentation producing the xanthan gum are clarified by treatment with a minor amount of a protease enzyme. The injectivity of aqueous solutions containing xanthan gum so clarified is improved, in oil well flooding operations, over solutions not so treated.
Claims16
The method of clarifying an aqueous solution of xanthan gum containing water-insoluble fermentation solids that comprises contacting said solution with an alkaline protease enzyme.
The method of clarifying an aqueous solution of xanthan gum containing insoluble fermentation solids that comprises contacting said solution with from about 25 to 60,000 Delft Units of an alkaline protease enzyme per gram of xanthan gum.
The process for clarifying a whole fermentation broth obtained by the fermentation of a nutrient medium with a xanthan-gum producing strain of Xanthomonas that comprises contacting said whole broth with from about 25 to 60,000 Delft Units of alkaline protease enzyme per gram of xanthan gum.
The method of clarifying an aqueous suspension of a xanthan gum, which gum has been obtained by precipitation from a fermentation broth, containing fermentation solids that comprises contacting said suspension with from about 750 to 60,000 Delft Units of an alkaline protease enzyme per gram of xanthan gum.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.