Nalco Chemical Company

Ecolab USA Inc.

F Philip Yu

William F McCoy

Anthony W Dallmier

Brian V Jenkins

Craig W Myers

Emily Ann Taylor

Daniel L Legereit

Bryan M Bailiff

Bradley R Goins

A method is disclosed for removing biofilms from surfaces submerged in a fouled water system by adding to the water system an alkyl polyglycoside having the chemical formula: ##STR1## wherein R is a C.sub.8 -C.sub.16 alkyl chain and DP is from 0 to 3 carbohydrate units.

Method of removing biofilms from surfaces submerged in a fouled water

The invention comprises a method for dispersing biofilms caused by the growth of slime-forming bacteria and other microorganisms in industrial process water. The method comprises adding an effective biofilm dispersing amount of a linear alkylbenzene sulfonate to the industrial process water which contains slime-forming bacteria and other microorganisms. In addition, an alternative embodiment of the invention comprises adding a compound selected from the group consisting of peracetic acid, glutaraldehyde, isothiazolone, methylene bisthiocyanate, thiocyanomethylthio benzothiazole, 2-bromo-2-nitro-1,3-propane diol, dibromonitrilopropane diol, tetralcishydroxy methyl phosphonium sulfate, decylthioethane amine, alkyl dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride and combinations thereof.

Use of the linear alkylbenzene sulfonate as a biofouling control agent

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Aurora, IL, United States of America

F Philip Yu