Method of making a composition, a product from such method, and the use thereof in removing or dissolving a contaminant from an environment

Abstract

A composition which is effective in removing a wide variety of contaminants, such as organic compounds, from a wide varity of environments, such as printing systems, is provided. A process of preparing such composition includes contacting hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water. The process can additionally include contacting with one or more additional components such as isopropyl alcohol.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A process of producing a composition comprising contacting hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water and at most about 99.9 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water.  
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 1:1 and at most about 30:1.  
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 2:1 and at most about 20:1.  
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 2:1 and at most about 10:1.  
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 0.1 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 20 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water and wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 15 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 0.5 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 15 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 10 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising contacting with isopropyl alcohol.  
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 7  wherein said isopropyl alcohol has a purity of at least about 99 percent.  
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 2  wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water and at most about 97 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water.  
     
     
         10 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 15 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water and wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 5 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         11 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 70 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid and water and at most about 95 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid and water.  
     
     
         12 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising contacting with a component selected from the group consisting of potassium monopersulfate, silver, acids, esters, alcohols, alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         13 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein said acids are selected from the group consisting of acetic, sulfuric, formic, peroxyacetic, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         14 . The process according to  claim 12  wherein said alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids are selected from the group consisting of citric, lactic, maleic, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         15 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said composition has a pH of at least about 1.5 and at most about 4.5.  
     
     
         16 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein said composition has a specific gravity of at least about 1.0 and at most about 1.5.  
     
     
         17 . A composition prepared by the process of contacting hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water and at most about 99.9 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water.  
     
     
         18 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 1:1 and at most about 30:1.  
     
     
         19 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 2:1 and at most about 20:1.  
     
     
         20 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein the weight ratio of said hydrogen peroxide to said glycolic acid is at least about 2:1 and at most about 0:1.  
     
     
         21 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 0.1 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 20 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water and wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 15 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         22 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 0.5 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 15 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 10 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         23 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein the process further comprises contacting with isopropyl alcohol.  
     
     
         24 . The composition according to  claim 23  wherein said isopropyl alcohol has a purity of at least about 99 percent.  
     
     
         25 . The composition according to  claim 18  wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 60 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water and at most about 97 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water.  
     
     
         26 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said hydrogen peroxide is present as a hydrogen peroxide solution of said hydrogen peroxide and said water and wherein said hydrogen peroxide solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide and at most about 15 weight percent said hydrogen peroxide, and further wherein said glycolic acid is present as a glycolic acid solution of said glycolic acid and said water and wherein said glycolic acid solution comprises at least about 1 weight percent said glycolic acid and at most about 5 weight percent said glycolic acid.  
     
     
         27 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 70 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid and water and at most about 95 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid and water.  
     
     
         28 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein the process further comprises contacting with a component selected from the group consisting of potassium monopersulfate, silver, acids, esters, alcohols, alpha hydroxy acids, beta hydroxy acids, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         29 . The composition according to  claim 28  wherein said acids are selected from the group consisting of acetic, sulfuric, formic, peroxyacetic, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         30 . The composition according to  claim 28  wherein said alpha hydroxy and beta hydroxy acids are selected from the group consisting of citric, lactic, maleic, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         31 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said composition has a pH of at least about 1.5 and at most about 4.5.  
     
     
         32 . The composition according to  claim 17  wherein said composition has a specific gravity of at least about 1.0 and at most about 1.5.  
     
     
         33 . A composition comprising a molecule consisting of two carbon atoms, four hydrogen atoms, and four oxygen atoms.  
     
     
         34 . A composition according to  claim 33  wherein two of said four hydrogen atoms and two of said four oxygen atoms are present as hydroxyl groups.  
     
     
         35 . A process of removing or dissolving a contaminant from an environment comprising: 
 selecting a composition of hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water, wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water and at most about 99.9 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water to provide a composition and    contacting said contaminant with a concentration of said composition, wherein said concentration is effective in removing at some of said contaminant from said environment.    
     
     
         36 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said contaminant is selected from the group consisting of Group II elements, Group m elements, Group IV elements, Group V elements, Group VI elements, Group VII elements, Group VIII elements, algae, fungi, bacteria, surfactants, natural gums, synthetic gums, organic compounds, paper fibers, paper filters, clays, sulfites, sulfates, oxides, adhesives, starches, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         37 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said environment is selected from the group consisting of water-containing systems, paper producing systems, pulp producing systems, printing systems, packaging systems, flexographic systems, food processing systems, bleaching systems, metallurgy systems, acid washing systems, veterinary product systems, pesticide systems, meat processing systems, poultry processing systems, dairy processing systems, sanitizing systems, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         38 . A process according to  claim 37  wherein said water-containing systems are selected from the group consisting of swimming pools, water treating systems, drainage systems, boiler systems, chiller systems, sewage treating systems, irrigation systems, agricultural systems, cooling tower systems, and combinations thereof.  
     
     
         39 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said contaminant comprises algae and said environment comprises a water-containing system.  
     
     
         40 . A process according to  claim 39  wherein said water-containing system comprises a swimming pool.  
     
     
         41 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said contaminant comprises a Group II element and said environment comprises a printing system.  
     
     
         42 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said contaminant comprises a Group II element and said environment comprises a packaging system.  
     
     
         43 . A process according to  claim 35  wherein said contaminant comprises a starch and said environment comprises a packaging system.  
     
     
         44 . A process of producing a composition comprising contacting hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water wherein said water is present in an amount of least about 50 weight percent based on the total weight of said hydrogen peroxide, glycolic acid, and water.