Patent ID: 8414764

Claim:
A water-based separating composition for separating hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing material, said separating composition comprising: at least about 71% by weight water; a hydrotropic agent comprising an aromatic phosphate ester having the formula: wherein R 1 is a C 1 -C 5 linear or branched alkyl group and n=1 to 8; a wetting agent comprising 2,5,8,11-tetramethyl-6-dodecyn-5,8-diol ethoxylate; a dispersant having flocculating characteristics comprising one or more of sodium acid pyrophosphate and tetrapotassium pyrophosphate; and at least one acid and at least one base, in amounts sufficient to provide the separating composition with a pH of about 7 to about 8.5; wherein the hydrotropic agent and the dispersant having flocculating characteristics are different.