Urea-surfactant clathrates and their use in bioremediation of hydrocarbon contaminated soils and water
AssigneeExxon Research & Engineering Co.
InventorsRamesh Varadaraj, Cornelius Hendrick Brons
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Abstract
One embodiment of the present invention provides compounds comprising an adduct of urea with a non-ionic surfactant. Another embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a composition suitable for enhancing the bioremediation of contaminated soils and water which comprises at least one adduct of urea with a non-ionic surfactant, preferably in combination with a phosphorous source.
Claims3
A composition for enhancing the biodegradation of hydrocarbon contaminated soil, water and sludge consisting essentially of a phosphorous source and at least one urea-surfactant adduct wherein the composition has an N:P ratio ranging from about 10:2 to about 10:0.5;
- wherein the surfactant is selected from the group of non-ionic surfactants consisting of alkylethoxylates, alkyl ethoxylated phosphates, alkyl ethoxylated amines, alkylethoxylated ammonium salts, alkyl ethoxylated sugars, and alkylethoxylated polyhydric alcohols and their cyclic ethers;
- wherein the surfactant's alkyl group has from about 8 to about 22 carbon atoms;
- and wherein the urea and non-ionic surfactant in the adduct are present in a weight ratio ranging from about 98:2 to about 75:25.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.