Abstract: A sorting apparatus and method for fractionating and simultaneously viewing individual microstructures, such as free cells, viruses, macromolecules, or minute particles in a fluid medium. The sorting apparatus is composed of a substrate having a receptacle located therein, the receptacle having sidewalls and a floor. An array of obstacles is positioned within the receptacle with the obstacles upstanding from the floor of the receptacle. A transparent cover overlies the array of obstacles to cover the receptacle and afford visual observation of migration of the microstructures exclusively through the array of obstacles. Electrodes may be positioned within the receptacle to generate an electric field in the fluid medium in the receptacle in order to induce the migration of the microstructures. Migration of the microstructures may also occur, for example, by a hydrodynamic field, an optical field, a magnetic field, or a gravity field applied to the receptacle.

Abstract: The separations resulting from capillary electrophoresis performed in a microbore capillary tube are detected on-line by focusing a light beam in the form of a line or sheet of light on the capillary passage in which the separations take place so that the width of the sheet of light encompasses the length of the passage in which separations of interest are expected to take place. The separations form concentration gradients in the capillary passage encompassed by the light beam and cause refraction of portions of the light beam. The variation in the intensity of light along the width of the light beam after passage through the sample is sensed and is indicative of the concentration gradients and separation occurring in the sample. An apparatus including a relatively short capillary tube with liquid reservoirs secured at each end may be used with the detector to perform various capillary electrophoretic separation techniques.

Abstract: The simultaneous abatement of NO and SO.sub.2 in flue gas is provided by an absorption process and apparatus utilizing an absorbent composition comprising an aqueous solution of chelates and sulfite salts. Metal chelates oxidized to an inactive state are electrochemically reduced. In the electrochemical cell, nickel or stainless steel anode materials are stable and may be used in the place of platinum coated anode materials when the anolyte pH is maintained greater than 12. At these conditions, the anode is corrosion resistant with a long operating time between replacement. Ultrafiltration or Donnan dialysis may be used to separate the chelate sorbents from the waste salts to reduce the loss of expensive chelate sorbents. Alternatively, an anionic exchange membrane can be used to electrodialytically separate waste sulfur/nitrogen salts from the absorbent solution.