ANTIMICROBIAL COMPOSITIONS AND RELATED METHODS OF USE
A composite filter aid may include at least one mineral associated with an antimicrobial metal compound, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 0.1 to 20 darcys. The antimicrobial metal compound can be chemically deposited on the mineral surface or bonded to mineral structure by binder or high temperature calcination.
1 . A composite filter aid, comprising:
a mineral associated with an antimicrobial metal compound, wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 0.1 to 20 darcys.
2 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 0.5 to 2 darcys.
3 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a permeability ranging from 2 to 20 darcys.
4 - 6 . (canceled)
7 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein a ratio of the antimicrobial metal compound to the mineral ranges from 1:100 to 1:5 by weight.
8 - 10 . (canceled)
11 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal compound includes at least one of zinc, copper, and silver.
12 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal compound includes zinc oxide.
13 . The composite filter aid of claim 12 , wherein the zinc content in the composite filter aid is more than 1.00% or zinc oxide content is more than 1.24%.
14 - 18 . (canceled)
19 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the antimicrobial metal compound includes antimicrobial metal compound particles, and wherein the antimicrobial metal compound particles are attached to a surface of the mineral, wherein the antimicrobial metal compound Particles have a Particle size less than 200 nm.
20 - 28 . (canceled)
29 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the mineral includes diatomaceous earth.
30 - 32 . (canceled)
33 . The composite filter aid of claim 29 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a median particle size (d 50 ) ranging from 15 μm to 50 μm.
34 . (canceled)
35 . The composite filter aid of claim 29 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a pore volume ranging from about 2 ml/g to about 4 ml/g.
36 . The composite filter aid of claim 29 , wherein the diatomaceous earth has a median pore diameter ranging from about 1 μm to about 6 μm.
37 . (canceled)
38 . The composite filter aid of claim 29 , wherein the diatomaceous earth is non-calcined.
39 . The composite filter aid of claim 29 , wherein the diatomaceous earth is calcined.
40 - 41 . (canceled)
42 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the mineral is perlite.
43 . The composite filter aid of claim 42 , wherein the perlite includes expanded perlite.
44 . The composite filter aid of claim 42 , wherein the perlite includes milled, expanded perlite.
45 - 49 . (canceled)
50 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the mineral includes at least one of kaolin, talc, vermiculite, mica, and wollastonite.
51 - 57 . (canceled)
58 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a beer soluble iron content of less than 5 ppm, as measured by ASBC
59 - 61 . (canceled)
62 . The composite filter aid of claim 1 , wherein the filter aid has a cristobalite content of less than 6 percent by weight.
63 - 110 . (canceled)