Abstract: There is provided water insoluble cross-linked polycarboxylic acid having at least two strands in a strand skeleton of the formula: ##STR1## wherein one carbonyl group of at least one maleoyl moiety thereof in each strand is covalently linked to a--HN.[(H).sub.p (CH).sub.2.(OH).sub.m ].NH-- moietyto provide the presence therein of at least one cross linked moiety of the formula: ##STR2## wherein R is hydrogen or lower alkylene or lower alkoxy of 1-4 carbon atoms, or phenyl, x and y are integers, z is an integer of 1-6, p is 0 or an integer up to z-1, m is 0 or an integer up to z, and w is an integer from 2-12. There is disclosed a method of making such polycarboxylic acid as well as methods of utilizing same to remove proteins from aqueous media containing same to provide a matrix. Methods are disclosed for recovering proteins from said matrix without denaturing them and methods for recovering the polycarboxylic acid from said matrix.

Abstract: There is provided a process for the preparation of a highly reactive hydrophobic silica capable of lipophilic binding of lipids present in aqueous media, in particular body fluids. The hydrocarbon substituted silica utilized in the first step of this process may be prepared from hydrophilic silica, suitably pyrogenic silica. This is then treated with a volatile hydrocarbon substituted silicon compound. The next step of the process comprises treating the substituted hydrophobic silica with an alcohol. In order to enable the thus produced material to selectively adsorb lipids in the presence of protein, to the substantial non absorption of the proteins (other than lipoproteins), a further step is carried out. This comprises treating with aqueous ammonia or amines wherein substituents on the amine nitrogen may be the same or different.

Abstract: A chitosan support material is made with crosslinking and installation of a spacer arm between the chitosan matrix and an epoxy terminal group at the distal end of the spacer arm. Among other things, the installed spacer arm endows the crosslinked chitosan beads with enhanced binding specificity during chromatographic separations.

Abstract: A method of adsorbing from a solution comprising a biological sample viruses which retain their viability and infectivity. The method comprises adjusting the pH of said solution to pH 6.0 to 8.0; adding an effective amount of a water insoluble cross-linked polycarboxylic acid polymer ("WCPP") into said solution in a volume:volume ratio of WCPP to solution of 100:1 to 1:10,000 to form a WCPP-solution mixture; incubating said WCPP-solution mixture for a time sufficient to immobilize said viruses on said WCPP forming a WCPP-virus matrix; and separating said matrix from said solution. This novel method is suitable for removing, purifying, recovering and analyzing viable viruses as well as viral components such as viral proteins and nucleic acids.