Removing halogenated hydrocarbons from aqueous media by utilizing a polyolefinic microporous adsorbent

A process for removing non-polymeric halogenated hydrocarbons from an aqueous medium containing about 0.001 ppm to about 10 ppm of said halogenated hydrocarbons which comprises contacting said aqueous medium with from about 0.01 to about 5% by weight, based on the weight of said aqueous medium of a polyolefinic microporous adsorbent having a surface area of from about 10 to about 40 square meters per gram of adsorbent selected from at least one member of the group consisting of films, fibers, yarn, sheets, fabrics and laminates, said polyolefinic adsorbent comprising an olefin polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers, propylene homopolymers, poly-3-methylbutene-1, poly-4-methylpentene-1, copolymers thereof, and copolymers thereof with a minor amount of a straight chain n-alkene.

A process for removing halogented hydrocarbons selected from at least one member of the group consisting of aliphatic, cycloaliphatic, heterocyclic, aromatic, and alkyl substituted aromatic, hydrocarbons having from 1 to 20 carbon atoms from an aqueous medium containing about 0.01 ppm to about 10 ppm of said halogenated hydrocarbon with from about 0.01 to about 5% by weight, based on the weight of the aqueous medium of a polyolefinic microporous adsorbent having a configuration selected from at least one member of the group consisting of a film, fiber, laminate, yarn, sheet and fabric, having a surface area of from about 20 to about 40 square meters per gram of adsorbent, and comprising an olefin polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers, propylene homopolymers, poly-3-methylbutene-1, poly-4-methylpentene-1, copolymers thereof, and copolymers thereof with a minor amount of a straight chain n-alkene.

A process for removing halogen containing substances selected from at least one member of the group consisting of (a) non-polymeric halogenated hydrocarbons and (b) molecular and elemental halogens selected from at least one member of the group consisting of chlorine, fluorine, bromine, and iodine from an aqueous medium containing about 0.001 ppm to about 10 ppm of said halogen containing substances which comprises (a) impregnating a polyolefinic microporous adsorbent comprising a microporous film prepared by the "dry stretch " or "solvent stretch" method from an olefin polymer selected from the group consisting of ethylene homopolymers, propylene homopolymers, poly-3-methylbutene-1, poly-4-methylpentene-1, copolymers thereof, and copolymers thereof with a minor amount of a straight chain n-alkene and having a surface area from about 10 to about 25 square meters per gram of adsorbent with an organic solvent selected from at least one member of the group consisting of saturated and unsaturated oils, waxes, and fats;

• and (b) contacting said aqueous medium with said microporous adsorbent having the organic solvent impregnated therein.