Abstract: An aqueous defoaming/antifoaming composition which comprises:(a) from 5 to 75 parts by weights of a water-soluble non-ionic polyoxyalkylene condensate derived from an active hydrogen-containing precursor or an ester thereof and from at least two alkylene oxides,(b) a water-soluble aromatic sulphonate salt of the formula: ##STR1## where a is 1 or 2, R is a C.sub.1 -4 alkyl group which may be the same or different when a is 2 and M is a cation, such that the weight ratio of (b) to (a) is at least 1:15, and(c) from 20 to 90 parts by weight of water.

Abstract: A cleaning composition which comprises: (a) from 35 to 80 wt % of one or both of a fatty alcohol ethoxylate (having from 8 to 18 carbon atoms in the alcohol moiety and from 2 to 10 moles ethylene oxide per mole alcohol) and a higher alkyl phenol ethoxylate (having from 8 to 12 carbon atoms in the alkyl moiety and from 4 to 10 moles ethylene oxide per mole phenol); and (b) from 65 to 20 wt % of a phenol, or lower alkyl phenol, ethoxylate having from 1 to 4 carbon atoms in the alkyl group (if present) and from 3 to 10 moles ethylene oxide per mole phenol.The composition forms emulsions with oily soils which break quickly on standing. The compositions may therefore be used to emulsify oil sludge in oil storage or transport tanks, the oil being recoverable when the emulsion with the cleaning agent breaks.

Abstract: The invention relates to stable high solids aqueous dispersions of talc (a natural but relatively hydrophobic complex hydrated magnesium silicate) useful in the preparation of coated paper in place of the currently-used china clay dispersions. The inventive compositions contain at least 60 wt % talc held as a stable dispersion by small quantities of one or more of certain sulphated ethoxylated phenol, or alkylated phenol, salts, optionally together with small amounts of antifoaming air-release agents (such as certain of the known polypropylene glycol-based ethylene oxide/propylene oxide copolymers).

Abstract: The invention relates to processes for dispersing oil spillages using compositions prepared by on-site dilution of concentrates containing as emulsifying agent an aliphatic carboxylic acid polyoxyalkylene glycol monoester, as solvent an aryl or aliphatic dicarboxylic acid monohydric aliphatic alcohol ester, and as pour-point depressant an alkylene, or polyoxyalkylene, glycol monoalkyl ether. These concentrates are physically and chemically stable to a wide range of temperatures, and may easily be diluted with water, especially sea-water, immediately prior to application, without any risk of gellation or an unacceptable viscosity increase, to give a use composition.