Patent ID: 8475675

Claim:
A process for preventing fires or fighting fires, the process comprising: providing a fire extinguishing agent; wherein the agent is made according to the process comprising treating water with an amount of a water-in-oil polymer dispersion sufficient to produce an agent having a viscosity of 100 mPas or more, wherein the water-in-oil dispersion comprises: (i) a continuous organic phase immiscible with water; wherein said continuous organic phase comprises: (A) a fatty acid ester or mixture of at least two fatty acid esters; and (B) white oils from petroleum distillation or ligroin; wherein said white oils have a boiling range of 150° C. to 200° C.; and (ii) finely dispersed and cross-linked, water-swellable polymerizates; wherein said polymerizates were produced via an inverse phase polymerization process; and wherein an amount of a residual monomer present in the water-in-oil dispersion is less than 1,000 ppm after a predetermined amount of a residual monomer eliminator is provided to the water-in-oil dispersion; and wherein the water-in-oil dispersion has an environmental compatibility measured by having an EC 50 value over about 10 mg/l according to OECD Guideline 201 and OECD Guideline 202; and applying the agent to a surface.