Amcol International Corporation

American Colloid Company

Laura Kajita

A chemical composition and method for treating oil-contaminated waste waters, and, more particularly, waste waters in the form of oily emulsions that may also contain dissolved metal ions, and/or metal solids, to sorb (adsorb and/or absorb) the contaminants between and within platelets of sodium bentonite clay particles, and calcium bentonite clay particles, and the contaminants are encapsulated or trapped in a matrix of calcium bentonite platelets and sodium bentonite platelets that are flocculated by a flocculant, such as a cationic polymer, so that leaching of contaminants into the waste water, or subsequently into a liquid portion of a landfill, is unexpectedly reduced.

Method and composition for clarifying waste water

A method of treating a water-swellable clay after the clay has been mined and dried to improve its properties when in contact with contaminated water. After the common initial drying of the clay to a moisture content of 12% by weight or less, the clay is impregnated with an aqueous solution containing a dissolved, water-soluble polymer, in an amount of at least about 0.5% by weight based on the dry weight of the clay, and the clay is wetted to a moisture content of more than 12% by weight, preferably at least about 15% or more, based on the dry weight of the clay, and then redried to a moisture content of 12% by weight or less, based on the dry weight of the clay. This rewetting step to hydrate and polymer-impregnate the clay, and then redrying the clay, unexpectedly improves the contaminated water absorbency, and viscosity properties when the clay is in contact with contaminated water; unexpectedly increases the rheology properties of the clays for oil well drilling fluids and lost circulation fields when contaminated water is encountered during drilling, enhances the clay properties when used as a suspending agent in the cosmetics and pharmaceutical industries when the composition contains a dissolved, inorganic salt and/or an organic liquid; and provides unexpectedly increased contaminated water-absorption in forming water-swellable clay-based water barriers.

Method of improving the contaminant resistance of a smectite clay by

A flexible grout composition and method of disposing the composition in position, in contact with an earthen formation, such as a coating on a trench wall, or within a bore hole, for example to cement a conduit within the bore hole to prevent fluid loss, for sealing and grouting well casings, plugging abandoned wells, and waterproofing earthen structures, particularly in environments where the grout composition is in contact with contaminated water. The flexible grout composition includes a water-swellable clay, such as sodium bentonite; an optional solid particulate filler, such as an essentially nonswellable bentonite clay, such as calcium bentonite, herein defined as a bentonite clay having calcium as the predominant exchangeable cation; a water-soluble polymer; and an optional dispersing agent, such as sodium acid pyrophosphate (SAPP).

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St. Charles, IL, United States of America

Laura Kajita