POLYASPARTATE SCALE INHIBITORS - BIODEGRADABLE ALTERNATIVES TO POLYACRYLATES

Polyaspartates are highly biodegradable alternatives to polyarylate-ba sed scale inhibitors. This article presents laboratory testing data on polyaspartate inhibitors of calcium and barium mineral scales. The op timum molecular weight (Mw) for polyaspartate inhibitors of calcium ca rbonate, calcium sulfate, and barium sulfate mineral scales was determ ined to be between 1,000 Mw and 4,000 Mw. For inhibition of calcium ca rbonate and barium sulfate, polyaspartates in the range of 3,000 Mw to 4,000 Mw were most effective. For calcium sulfate inhibition, the opt imum Mw lies in the 1,000 Mw to 2,000 Mw range. Biodegradability data (OECD 301B Ready Biodegradability) on polyaspartates of a variety of M w is also presented, which demonstrates the high biodegradability of t his class of mineral scale inhibitors.