Dechlorination Compositions, Compressed Solids Formed Therefrom, and Methods of Preparing the Same

Abstract

A dechlorination composition for dechlorinating water includes at least one alkali metal sulfite, at least one alkali metal borate, at least one hydrogenated vegetable oil, and at least one saccharide. The dechlorination composition can also include at least one colorant, at least one stearate salt, and at least one halide salt. The dechlorination composition can be formed into a compressed solid. Methods of preparing compressed solids of dechlorination compositions are also disclosed.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A dechlorination composition comprising at least one alkali metal sulfite, at least one alkali metal borate, at least one hydrogenated vegetable oil, and at least one saccharide. 
     
     
         2 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal sulfite comprises sodium sulfite. 
     
     
         3 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal sulfite comprises an average particle size of 50 to 350 microns. 
     
     
         4 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal sulfite comprises at least 60 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         5 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the alkali metal borate comprises from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         6 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the hydrogenated vegetable oil comprises from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         7 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide comprises a monosaccharide and/or a polysaccharide having a stoichiometry of water molecules of greater than 0. 
     
     
         8 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the saccharide comprises from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         9 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a colorant. 
     
     
         10 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 10 , wherein the colorant comprises up to 1 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         11 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a halide salt. 
     
     
         12 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 12 , wherein the halide salt comprises an alkali and/or alkaline earth metal halide salt. 
     
     
         13 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 12 , wherein the halide salt comprises up to 20 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         14 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a stearate salt. 
     
     
         15 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 15 , wherein the stearate salt comprises an inorganic stearate salt. 
     
     
         16 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 15 , wherein the stearate salt comprises up to 10 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         17 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein the dechlorination composition is a compressed solid. 
     
     
         18 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 1 , wherein a weight ratio of the saccharide to the borate is within a range of from 1.8:0.2 to 0.2:1.8 
     
     
         19 . A dechlorination composition comprising:
 at least one alkali metal sulfite comprising at least 60 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition;   at least one alkali metal borate comprising from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition;   at least one hydrogenated vegetable oil comprising from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition; and   at least one saccharide comprising from 0.1 to 30 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition,   wherein the dechlorination composition is a compressed solid.   
     
     
         20 . The dechlorination composition of  claim 20 , further comprising a colorant comprising up to 1 weight % of the total weight of the dechlorination composition. 
     
     
         21 . A method of preparing a dechlorination compressed solid comprising:
 a) mixing at least one alkali metal sulfite, at least one alkali metal borate, at least one hydrogenated vegetable oil, and at least one saccharide to form a dry blended composition;   b) forming a compressed solid from the dry blended composition; and   c) exposing the compressed solid to ambient conditions or a temperature above ambient conditions for a set period of time.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 22 , further comprising milling the alkali metal sulfite to an average particle size of 50 microns to 350 microns prior to step a).