METHOD AND COMPOSITION FOR EMULSIFYING PETROLEUM PRODUCTS FOR RENDERING THEM BIO-DEGRADABLE

摘要

1354543 Sulphur; fertilizers from biodegradation of petroleum products; degrading petroleum G H SALOMONE 19 April 1971 [3 Feb 1970] 20990/71 Headings C1A, C1B and C1C [Also in Divisions B1 and C6] A petroleum product is converted into a biodegradable emulsion by mixing the petroleum product with an emulsifying composition comprising 20-50 parts by weight of molasses, cellulose, sugar beet waste, casein, malt extract and/or protease (including peptone) and 30-50 parts of lactic, acetic, citric, gluconic, glutamic, itaconic and/or oxalic acid, and emulsifying the mixture with water. Example 1: a composition comprising molasses, lactic acid and dicalcium phosphate was used to emulsify petroleum residues. Yeast of the species Terulopsis utilis was grown in the emulsion. The fermented culture medium was used as a fertilizer. Example 2: a composition comprising molasses, lactic acid, potassium phosphate and gypsum was used to emulsify crude oil. Anaerobic fermentation of the emulsion by Vibrio desulfuricans transformed the calcium sulphate (gypsum) into sulphur. Example 3: a composition comprising molasses, acetic acid and dicalcium phosphate was used to emulsify petroleum residues. The emulsion obtained, greatly diluted, was applied to support growth of bacteria in micaceous sand, as a result of which the soil showed an enrichment in potassium liberated from the mica. The soil was sown with cereals, which sprouted normally without any deficiency in phosphate, calcium or potassium. Example 4: a composition comprising peptone, acetic acid and dicalcium phosphate was used to emulsify bunker hydrocarbon residues in sea water. The emulsion could be discharged in a port environment without any modification of the flora or fauna and without any petroleum deposit on the jetties. Example 6: a composition comprising casein, lactic acid, dairy serum and anhydrite was used to emulsify crude oil. Anaerobic cultivation of Vibris desulfuricans on the emulsion resulted in precipitation of the sulphur contained in the calcium sulphate (anhydrite).