Patent ID: 7767766

Claim:
A method of manufacture of a soluble, microbiologically active and stable acrolein polymer comprising the following steps in sequence: (a) polymerising acrolein in the presence of base to form a polymer of acrolein; (b) dissolving the polymer of acrolein in an alcohol selected from monoalcohols and polyols optionally with addition of water to form an alcohol solution of the polymer of acrolein, and providing a pH of no more than 7, wherein the polymer of acrolein is not subject to heating in air before dissolving in alcohol; (c) heating the alcohol solution of the polymer of acrolein of pH of no more than 7, to a temperature in the range of from 40 to 105° C., to react the polymer of acrolein with the alcohol; and (d) mixing base with the polymer of acrolein, wherein the polymer product of said method does not precipitate when further diluted by water by a factor of one in ten parts by volume.