Method for suppressing dust emissions

Abstract

A method for suppressing the dissemination of fugitive dust particles into the atmosphere by using an aqueous solution of a water soluble graft copolymer of the general structure: ##STR1## wherein E is the repeat unit obtained after polymerization of an .alpha., .beta. ethylenically unsaturated compound, the molar percentage of a:b is from about 95:5 to 5:95, with the proviso that the sum of a and b equals 100%; G comprises the structure: ##STR2## wherein d, R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are the same or different and are hydrogen or a lower alkyl group having C.sub.1 to C.sub.3, F is a salt of an ammonium cation and the molar percentage of c:d is from 95:5 to 5:95 with the proviso that the sum of c and d equals 100%; or an aqueous solution of a water soluble block copolymer of the general structure: ##STR3## wherein J is a polymeric segment obtained from the polymerization of ethylenically unsaturated hydrophobic monomers initiated by a difunctional initiator; R.sub.4 and R.sub.5 are H or a C.sub.1 to C.sub.3 alkyl group; K is a salt of an ammonium cation selected from the group consisting of NHR.sub.6 N.sup.+ (R.sub.7,8,9).sup.M- or OR.sub.6 N.sup.+ (R.sub.7,8,9)M.sup.-, wherein R.sub.6 is a C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 linear or branched alkylene group, and R.sub.7, R.sub.8 and R.sub.9 are selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, C.sub.1 to C.sub.4 linear or branched alkyl, C.sub.5 to C.sub.8 cycloalkyl, aromatic or alkylaromatic group; and M.sup.- is an anion, selected from the group consisting of chloride, bromide, methyl sulfate and hydrogen sulfate; and the molar percentage x:y is from about 0:100 to 95:5, with the proviso that the total of x+y equals 100%.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.