Preparation of environmentally acceptable scale inhibitors

摘要

Alkyl phosphonates prepared from amino acids suitable for use in inhibiting scale. The phosphonates are obtained as reaction mixtures where the level of alkyl phosphonation is deliberately controlled to provide only partial alkyl phosphonation of the amino acid. The resulting alkyl phosphonates exhibit improved environmental properties compared to the fully substituted species, while still exhibiting acceptable efficacy in the control of scale. The compositions possess advantages over existing phosphonates in that they exhibit higher biodegradation by method OECD 306. They also offer lower toxicity to marine life compared to the fully substituted species and are not expected to bioaccumulate.

主权项

1. A method of inhibiting scale, comprising:
contacting an aqueous fluid with a scale inhibitor component in an amount effective to inhibit scale, wherein the scale inhibitor component includes at least one alkyl phosphonated amino acid species that comprises greater than 50 weight percent partially substituted, di-alkyl phosphonated amino acid species, and wherein the scale inhibitor component demonstrates greater than about 20% biodegradation in 28 days.