DE4338582A1 - Hydrophobic non-wovens for absorbing lipophilic liq., e.g. oil - Google Patents

Abstract

Non-wovens (I) of natural bast or rigid fibres with a (pref. natural) hydrophobic component are new. Also claimed is a process for removing a lipophilic liq. (II), by allowing (I) to adsorb (II) then, processing (II) charged (I) with microorganisms (pref. adapted for degradation of (II)) under aquatic or terrestrial conditions. (I) pref. comprises fibres from Miscanthus sinensis, and may consist of several types of fibres. In the removal of (II) charged with (I), pref. it is: (i) placed in a container of water contg. nutrient salts, with a supply of O2, for microbial degradation of (II) (after which (I) may be re-used); or (ii) comminuted and mixed with soil, opt. together with a nutrients soln. for the microorganisms.

Description

The present invention relates to a nonwoven made from vegetable Bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic component and the sen use.

It is known to make nonwovens from both natural and to manufacture artificial fibers. Nonwovens are loose materia lien, which are adhesively or cohesively consolidated, the Cohesion either through the adhesion of the fibers to one another or caused by added chemicals. Such art Nonwovens can be used for a variety of uses the. It is known, among other things, as an oil absorbent to use. The plastic fleece loaded with oil then forms however, hazardous waste and must either be disposed of or incinerated become. Furthermore, it is already known for sucking up oil to use a cotton mesh tube. The disadvantage of Cotton and other seed fibers, however, are there before draws up water and therefore for use for suction oil must first be pretreated.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide nonwovens deliver that disposes of environmentally harmful measures, regenerated under certain conditions and at the same time renewable raw materials can be manufactured.

This task is solved by a fleece made from vegetable bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic component.

Surprisingly, it was found that vegetable bast or Hard fibers with a hydrophobic component are excellent are suitable for oils or other lipophilic liquid materials soak up. The holding capacity for these materials is beyond neatly high. The fleece according to the invention is made of vegetable  Chen bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic component manufactured. Examples include flax, sisal and jute. The Vegetable bast or hard fibers can also be used be provided with a hydrophobic coating. To be favoured however, fibers are used that are naturally via a hydro phobic coating.

Vegetable fibers are particularly preferred for the inventions Nonwoven fibers according to the invention of C₄ grasses, in particular fibers of Miscanthus sinensis, used. Miscanthus, a land reed species, is a high growing reed with high biomass production, the has no lignification in the trunk and its fibers are hydrophobic Components that contain the absorption of oils and lipophilic Favor materials in particular.

The vegetable fibers are added in a manner known per se Nonwovens processed by dividing the entire stem into individual Fibers separated and then spun or spun into a fleece to be needled. The fleece can be made using one each only one type of plant fiber can be produced. In one preferred In the th embodiment, the nonwoven is shifted from two or more those types of vegetable fibers made, the fibers so be selected that the fleece predetermined properties ver be averaged. For example, it can be cheap, Miscant hus fibers with long-fiber natural fibers such as sisal, jute or Flax, both in combinations of two and in multiple combinations tion to mix, so that both the mechanical stability and the elasticity as well as the absorption capacity for lipophilic Materials are particularly cheap. The appropriate com Combination of fibers can be carried out by the expert through routine tests can be easily determined and requires no further explanation here tion.

Another object of the present invention is Ver application of the fleece according to the invention for absorbing liquid gene lipophilic materials.  

Oil gets through tanker gaps on a large scale, on a smaller scale Scale by various other circumstances on the water surface area and must be removed from there. It also comes through such lipophilic materials to contaminate planes Surfaces such as concrete floors, asphalt, metal or plastic coverings, and such contaminants are difficult to remove. Erfin According to the invention, this lipophilic material is now absorbed a fleece made from vegetable bast or hard fibers with a hy drophobic component used. The fleece sucks the lipophilic Materials, these lipophilic materials from Fa stick and are therefore no longer given. The Nonwovens according to the invention are therefore ideally suited for Absorbing such materials to be used. The An The application is made simply by placing the fleece on the streak laid underground or spread on the water becomes. If the fleece used by simultaneous absorption of Water partially sinks, so it is preferable to put the fleece on to clamp a frame and bring it out on the water or in the horizontal direction over the be on the water surface move sensitive oil film.

Disposal of those with oil or lipophilic materials loaded fleece is particularly advantageous. The so far use materials could only be removed by burning or filing be disposed of in a hazardous waste landfill. The invention Nonwovens are now accessible without natural disposal that the environment is polluted.

Another object of the present invention is thus a Process for absorbing oils and other liquid lipophi len materials, which is characterized in that one Fleece made from vegetable bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic ben component lets the oil soak up with the oil or fleece loaded with lipophilic material aquatic or terrestrial worked up.

With the method according to the invention, it is possible to  Absorb the oil or lipophilic material through the fleece Let microorganisms break down, with no harmful substances Fe arise, but the pollutants just like the fleece white be mineralized on a test basis.

The nonwovens according to the invention, with oil or lipophilic mate rialien are suitable for a microbiological Degradation is particularly good because the oils or lipophilic materials as Film can be sucked onto the fibers. In this way, one creates a large surface area that is large for microorganisms Offers attack surface. The microorganisms can use these Oil or lipophilic materials loaded fibers in flat Layer and grow these oils or lipophilic materials and if necessary, also remove the fibers.

In a first embodiment, the oil or lipophilic Material on the fleece degraded aquatically. To do this, use Water soaked or immersed in water and there with bacteria, that can degrade these materials.

In a preferred embodiment, the loaded fleece is in brought a waterproof container and covered with water. The water becomes the nutrients required by the microorganisms added substances, vitamins and trace elements. Furthermore oxygen is added to the water. The fleece is with Mi Croorganisms used to break down oils or lipophilic materials are suitable at temperatures between 0 ° C and 40 ° C can be, preferably at temperatures at which the micro organisms are optimally active. About who the preferred to the existing oils or lipophilic materials adapted microorganisms added. These can get be either by the location from which to behave The material originates, microorganisms residing in the laboratory be propagated or microorganisms from a microorganism collection that is suitable for mining the respective material, be added. The organisms used should be on oils or lipophilic materials contained in the fleece, which in  usually based on hydrocarbons, as carbon sources recycle le. The further nutritional requirement is then added appropriate connections to the water covered. To do this usually a source of nitrogen, a source of Phos phor, possibly a source of sulfur and each required trace elements added. They come on this Field known materials used. For example, you can as a source of nitrogen, ammonium salts, peptones or Hefeex trakt, as a source of phosphorus phosphate compounds such as Alka liphosphate or alkaline earth phosphate, as a source of sulfur Sulfates, such as alkaline earth metal sulfates, and for the supply of trace elements the usual trace element mixtures are used. The the optimum nutrient composition can be determined by a specialist can be easily determined in a few experiments.

Since the microorganisms that break down the lipophilic materials in Usually aerobic are mandatory for adequate ventilation be taken care of. The ventilation takes place in a manner known per se Wise. It is preferred from below into the container that holds the fleece and contains water, oxygen-containing gas, preferably air, blown in. The ventilation is preferably carried out in such a way that oxygen saturation is generally at least 1 mg / l, preferably of at least 2 mg / l, occurs.

Since the fleece consists of vegetable fibers, it is subject to also microbial degradation. Therefore, the loaded fleece normally only leave it in the container until all Oils or lipophilic materials are mineralized. The mining the materials can be tested using tests known in the art, such as be monitored by determining the COD value.

The result is a fleece that is largely oil-based or lipophilic material is cleaned. This fleece can ent neither after appropriate processing again for the above named purposes of the absorption of oil or lipophilic material are used, or as a structural improver composting or other common uses of Vlie  made from natural fibers (such as tree nurseries or embankment walls) be applied. If reuse is not desired, the fleece can be left in the container until there are no more biodegradable components. The mineral residue remaining as sediment can then be subtracted.

In another embodiment, the loaded fleece is ter worked up restrictively. For this, the fleece is shredded and in a rental procedure or container procedure. For this the fleece is mixed with soil containing microorganisms, which degrade the oils or lipophilic materials. Here too can either adapted microorganisms ver were multiplied, or microorganisms from a microorganism collection can be used. You may still need the floor Nutrients, namely a source of nitrogen, a source of Phosphate and possibly a source of sulfur and spu Ren elements, are supplied so that the bacteria in from can multiply enough. However, in order to achieve an optimal To achieve degradation, the earth should be aerated from time to time tion turned or the oxygen supply in another suitable Way to be realized.

In this embodiment, both the fleece and the Oil or the lipophilic materials largely mineralized. Which remains after the pollutant has been completely eliminated substances do not have to be disposed of as they are structured constituents remain in the soil.

According to the invention, a nonwoven, its use and a Ver drive to absorb oils or lipophilic materials provided, which in a particularly environmentally friendly manner Disposal of oils and other lipophilic contaminants possible without leaving any pollutants. Disposal can be done easily with renewable mate rialien be carried out.  

The invention is illustrated by the following example.

example

The oil holding capacity of a natural fiber fleece was compared with the oil holding capacity of synthetic fiber fleeces. Poly propylene fleece of various densities and a natural fiber fleece Flax soaked in mineral oil. It became the oil holding ability this fleece determines.

The following materials were used:

The results show that for the natural fiber fleece a similar high oil retention is achieved, as for a dense poly propylene fleece. This is the natural fiber fleece regarding the oil absorption properties and oil holding properties comparable to Plastic fleece, but offers the possibility of an environmental careful disposal.

Claims (16)

1. Fleece made from vegetable bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic component. 2. Nonwoven according to claim 1, characterized in that it consists of Bast or hard fibers with a natural hydrophobic Component exists. 3. Nonwoven according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that it consists of fibers from Miscanthus sinensis. 4. Nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized records that it consists of several types of fibers. 5. Use of a nonwoven according to one of claims 1 to 4 for absorbing liquid lipophilic materials. 6. Use according to claim 5, characterized in that oil is sucked up. 7. Use according to claims 5 or 6, characterized records that oil is sucked up from flat surfaces. 8. Use according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that that oil is sucked from a water surface. 9. Process for absorbing liquid lipophilic materials lien, characterized in that a fleece made from plants Lichen bast or hard fibers with a hydrophobic compo can absorb the lipophilic material and that with the fleece loaded with lipophilic material then with microorganisms processed aquatic or terrestrial. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that one absorbs oil as a lipophilic material.   11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that that you have a fleece made from vegetable bast or hard fibers used with a natural lipophilic component. 12. The method according to claim 9, 10 or 11, characterized in net that a fleece made from fibers of Miscanthus sinensis or used from a mixture of different types of fibers. 13. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized ge indicates that this can be done with lipophilic materials loaded fleece in a basin with water, the nutrient salt added and which is supplied with oxygen, Exposes microorganisms. 14. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that one that after the microbiological degradation of the lipophilic material reused as preserved fleece. 15. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 12, characterized ge indicates that the ge with the lipophilic material soaked fleece shredded and mixed with soil, the if necessary, the nutrients required by the microorganisms substances are added in the form of a nutrient solution. 16. The method according to any one of claims 9 to 15, characterized ge indicates that one breaks down the lipophilic material adapts adapted microorganisms.