Removal of chlorine-based contaminants from materials contaminated the same

Claim 1

A method of separating oil or bitumen from surfaces of a substrate covered with same, which comprises the steps of: (a) dissolving the oil or bitumen in a first solvent to form a solution thereof; (b) separating said solution from said substrate to provide a solution wet substrate; (c) adding to the solution wet substrate a further solution consisting of a membrane-like material forming component derived from mineral crude oil, bitumen or amphipathic lipids in a second solvent selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons and p-xylene, said second solvent being miscible with said first solvent and capable of forming in the presence of water and said membrane-like material forming component an interfacial membrane-like material which has a water side and is impermeable to the oil or bitumen; and (d) intimately contacting water with the surface of said substrate so as to cause said membranelike material to form at the surface of the substrate with said water side oriented toward said surface while the water wets said surface and spreads thereover, whereby the membrane-like material incorporates during its formation the oil or bitumen and mixture of solvents adjacent said surface and the water displaces said membrane-like material away from said surface as it is being formed thereacross to thereby separate said oil or bitumen and mixture of solvents from said surface and cover said surface with a layer of water, said membrane-like material acting as a barrier to maintain said oil or bitumen in solution with said mixture of solvents and to prevent passage of same into said water layer.

Claim 2

A method of separating oil or bitumen from surfaces of a substrate covered with same, which comprises the steps of: (a) dissolving the oil or bitumen in a first solvent to form a solution thereof; (b) separating said solution from said substrate to provide a solution wet substrate; (c) adding to the solution wet substrate a further solution consisting of a membrane-like material forming component derived from mineral crude oil, bitumen or amphipathic lipids in a second solvent selected from the group consisting of halogenated hydrocarbons and p-xylene, said second solvent being miscible with said first solvent and capable of forming in the presence of water and said membrane-like material forming component an interfacial membrane-like material which has a water side and is impermeable to the oil or bitumen; and (d) intimately contacting water with the surface of said substrate so as to cause said membranelike material to form at the surface of the substrate with said water side oriented toward said surface while the water wets said surface and spreads thereover, whereby the membrane-like material incorporates during its formation the oil or bitumen and mixture of solvents adjacent said surface and the water displaces said membrane-like material away from said surface as it is being formed thereacross to thereby separate said oil or bitumen and mixture of solvents from said surface and cover said surface with a layer of water, said membrane-like material acting as a barrier to maintain said oil or bitumen in solution with said mixture of solvents and to prevent passage of same into said water layer.