Oil Absorbing Article and Method for Using Same

Abstract

An oil absorbing article which includes an oil absorbent material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment; a receptacle for holding the oil absorbent material having a porous material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment and which permits the passage of water and oil components through the receptacle; and a flexible handle attached to the receptacle for hanging the oil absorbent article in the aqueous environment. Also, a method for using the oil absorbing article by placing the article in an aqueous environment having a temperature of at least about 100° F. and which is contaminated with oil components for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a portion of the oil components.

1 . A product comprising an oil absorbing article comprising:
 an oil absorbent material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment;   a receptacle for holding the oil absorbent material comprising a porous material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment and which permits the passage of water and oil components through the receptacle; and   a flexible handle attached to the receptacle for hanging the oil absorbent article in the aqueous environment.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle is a bag, sack, carrier, container, vessel, holder, package, packet envelope or sock. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the receptacle is a bag. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein the porous material is a woven polyester mesh material, a woven propylene mesh material, woven nylon mesh material, a woven polyethylene mesh material, or a woven vinyl coated mesh material. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the porous material is a woven polyester mesh material. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the oil absorbent material is a plurality of particles, spheres, beads, pellets, or loose fibers. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the oil absorbent material is a plurality of pellets. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the oil, absorbent material comprises one or more of: styrene-butadiene copolymers, styrene-isoprene copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-isoprene-styrene block copolymers, styrene-butadiene-styrene/ethylene-propylene diene block copolymers, or styrene-ethylene-propylene-styrene block copolymers. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 8 , wherein the oil absorbent material comprises one or more of: styrene-butadiene copolymers, or styrene-isoprene copolymers. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 6 , wherein the oil absorbent material comprises from about 55 to about 98% by weight of one or more elastomeric polystyrene-butadiene copolymers, polystyrene-butadiene-polystyrene triblock copolymers, polystyrene-isoprene-polystyrene triblock copolymers, or polystyrene grafts of elastomers; from about 3 to about 45% by weight of one or more thermoplastic polystyrenes or polyolefins; and from about 0.01 to about 12% by weight of one or more fillers which are oxides or carbonates of magnesium, oxides or carbonates of calcium, talc, silica, or diatomaceous earth. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the receptacle comprises a generally rectangular-shaped front panel and a generally rectangular shaped back panel, each of the front and back panels being sealed at an upper edge, at a pair of spaced apart and opposing side edges, and at a lower edge spaced apart from and opposing the upper edge, and wherein the oil absorbent material comprises a plurality of oil absorbent pellets. 
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the pellets comprise 90-98% styrene-butadiene copolymer and 3-5% styrene-isoprene copolymer; and   the receptacle comprises a bag, the bag comprising a porous woven mesh polyester and having a generally rectangular-shaped front panel and a generally rectangular shaped back panel, each of the front and back panels being sealed at an upper edge, at a pair of spaced apart and opposing side edges, and at a lower edge spaced apart from and opposing the upper edge.   
     
     
         13 . A method comprising the following steps:
 a. providing an oil absorbent article comprising:
 an oil absorbent material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment; 
 a receptacle for holding the oil absorbent material comprising a porous material which is stable against melting at a temperature of at least about 100° F. in an aqueous environment and, which permits the passage of water and oil components through the receptacle; and 
 a flexible handle attached to the receptacle for hanging the oil absorbent article in the aqueous environment; and 
   b. placing the oil absorbent article in an aqueous environment having a temperature of at least about 100° F. and which is contaminated with oil components for a period of time sufficient to remove at least a portion of the oil components.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous environment of step (b) has a temperature of at least about 150° F. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous environment is a fluid, collection tank, side compartment, vat, or tub for a pasteurization, warmer, retort, or cooling tunnel system for beverage or food products. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous environment is a hot tub or swimming pool. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous environment is an outside aqueous collection or storage tank, reservoir, or basin, which is contaminated with oil components. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the period of time in which step (b) is carried out is at least about 30 minutes. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the period of time in which step (b) is carried out is at least about 1 day. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the aqueous environment of step (b) comprises a fluid collection tank in a warmer or pasteurization system for beverages or foods, and wherein the handle is positioned over an article hanger so that the article of step (a) may hang in a relatively fixed and stationery position in the fluid collection tank.