Abstract: Waste water from a laundry (1) is collected in a storage container (3), fluffs and textile sheddings are separated through filtering sieves (2). The volume of the container is set so that it may store the amount of waste water produced for example during two days. The waste water is supplied with a bio-reactor (4) that works in aerobic conditions. Air is lead into the bio-reactor (4) at its lower end (5), establishing aerobic conditions therein. The biologically considered water leaves the bio-reactor (4) at the top end (6) of the column-shaped bio-reactor (4) and is supplied to an active coal column that acts as an adsorber (7). The adsorptively purified water leaves the adsorber (7) packed with active coal through the duct (8), is collected in a storage container (9) and if required is returned through duct (10) to the laundry, if required after 5 to 20% fresh water are added.

Abstract: A stable dry powder skin care powder having prolonged and controlled release properties, useful as baby powders, body talcs, deodorizing powders, OTC eczema preparations, foot powders, anti-fungal powders, etc. The dry powder is preferably prepared by a process comprising spray-drying a mixture of liposome encapsulated active agent, starch and maltodextrin. The particle is designed so that activity of, e.g., an anti-inflammatory agent such as Dragosantol.RTM. can be specifically triggered by skin conditions, such as moisture, for optimal timing of delivery.

Abstract: A process for producing an alkylene sulfide, which comprises the step of subjecting a mercaptoalkanol to an intramolecular dehydration reaction in the presence of an acidic dehydration catalyst, to produce the alkylene sulfide, in which the intramolecular dehydration reaction is conducted under at least one conditions of (1) to (3). (1) The intramolecular dehydration reaction is conducted in at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of compounds having an amide group N-substituted with a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, compounds having an unsubstituted amide group, compounds having a ureylene group N-substituted with a hydrocarbon group having from 1 to 6 carbon atoms, and compounds having an unsubstituted ureylene group. (2) The intramolecular dehydration reaction is conducted in a solvent under such temperature and pressure conditions that the reaction temperature T (.degree.C.) and the boiling point tb (.degree.C.