Abstract: A process for producing polythiobisphenols which comprises: reacting a phenol having the general formula ##STR1## wherein each R independently represents a hydrogen, a halogen or an alkyl, with sulfur monochloride in a polar organic solvent in the presence of a nitrogen-containing organic compound as a catalyst which is selected from the group consisting of tertiary amines, quaternary ammoniums, alkylated acid amides and heteroaromatic compounds, in amounts of about 1-30% by weight based on the amount of the phenol used. As a catalyst, bromine or an alkali metal halide is also usable.A novel process for producing mercaptophenols by the hydrogenolysis of polythiobisphenols in the presence of a nickel catalyst is also disclosed. Raney nickel catalyst which is in advance poisoned with an organosulfur compound in which the sulfur atom has unshared electron pairs is especially effective as a catalyst.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin having an appropriate particle size and a narrow particle size distribution can be obtained by adding a powdered inorganic material in a proportion of 0.000005-0.2 part by weight to 1 part by weight of a water-absorbent resin containing therein a carboxylate as a component of the polymer with agitation in an inert solvent in the presence of 0.1-5.0 parts by weight of water and 0.005-0.2 part by weight of a surfactant and then removing water and the inert solvent by distillation.

Abstract: Carbon dioxide can be obtained in high recovery with high purity from a gas mixture containing 10% or more of carbon dioxide by a pressure-swing adsorption method wherein moisture in the gas mixture is removed with cooling and heating prior to the adsorption of the carbon dioxide on an adsorbent.

Abstract: An anti-I sorbent which comprises as I blood group substances at least two materials selected from the group consisting of mucin and milk derived from Eutheria and ovomucoid from Ornithurae. The use of the anti-I sorbent inhibits the formation of false positive agglutination caused by anti-I autoantibody.

Abstract: Primary normal aliphatic higher alcohols are selectively recovered with a high efficiency by contacting sugarcanes, or products obtained from the sugarcanes, or processed products from production of sugar as an extraction raw material with a fluid in a subcritical or supercritical state as an extractant, thereby extracting a trace amount of primary normal aliphatic higher alcohols contained in the extraction raw materials as an extract and separating the extracted alcohols from the extract.

Abstract: An adsorption apparatus with a good heat recovery and a good noise abatement for separating a gas mixture into its components by pressure swing adsorption comprises a closed vessel having an inlet nozzle for a gas mixture at one end, an adsorbent packed as a bed in the closed vessel and a passage for an unadsorbed gas being vertically provided in the vessel through the adsorbent bed, whose one end is open above the top of the adsorbent bed and whose another end passes through the closed vessel at the inlet nozzle side to the outside.

Abstract: An oxygen-enriched gas having an oxygen concentration of, for example, 93% by volume, is produced at a high oxygen recovery rate from a gas mixture containing oxygen and nitrogen as main gas components by pressure swing adsorption, using a set of three adsorption columns, each packed with a zeolite molecular sieve as an adsorbent through a cyclic operation of adsorption under a pressure of from atmospheric pressure to 5,000 mm H.sub.2 O and desorption under vacuum pressure down to the final pressure of 150 mm Hg abs.

Abstract: A water-absorbent resin usable as a suitable water absorbent in sanitary materials and other fields can be produced by subjecting an aqueous solution of an .alpha.,.beta.-unsaturated carboxylic acid and of an alkali metal salt thereof to polymerization with a radical polymerization initiator in a petroleum-based hydrocarbon solvent in the presence or absence of a crosslinking agent and, in this polymerization, using a saccharose-fatty acid ester as a protective colloid agent.

Abstract: In production of high concentration oxygen by a pressure-swing-adsorption method using air as a raw material, air is introduced into a first step adsorption apparatus packed with a zeolite molecular sieve and is subjected to a pressure-swing-adsorption operation to obtain a non-adsorbed gas comprising oxygen as the major component, argon and nitrogen; the non-adsorbed gas is introduced into a second step adsorption apparatus packed with a carbon molecular sieve and is subjected to a pressure-swing-adsorption operation to separate argon and nitrogen from oxygen as a non-adsorbed gas; and the desorbed oxygen is obtained as high concentration oxygen.

Abstract: A process for preparing uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine, which comprises treating a reaction solution obtained by the enzymatic conversion of uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine to uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine, with uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase to decompose the remaining uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine in the solution and then separating therefrom the uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine for purification. In one aspect of this invention, it relates to a method for measuring the activity of .alpha.-N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase characterized by the use of said reaction solution as the substrate for the transferase.

Abstract: A process for the removal and recovery of mercury and, if desired, other heavy metals from incinerator waste water produced by washing waste gases from incinerators, which comprises adding to the waste water a reducing agent or a combination of oxidizing and reducing agents, subjecting the thus added waste water to stripping treatment in the presence of ferrous ion to obtain a mercury vapor-containing gas and simultaneously form spinel type crystalline compounds and then cooling said gas to separate and recover the mercury. If desired, said spinel type crystalline compounds are also removed from the mercury-free waste water.

Abstract: Water-swellable elastomer composition consisting essentially of a homogeneous mixture of an elastomer, a water-absorbent resin and a water-soluble resin. Said composition exhibits a high degree of swelling and a high swelling rate when it is soaked in water. Also, said composition retains swellability even when it is put in contact with water for a long period of time.

Abstract: A process for separating and recovering carbonic acid gas from a methane-rich gas containing the same by a pressure swing means comprising contacting the methane-rich gas with an adsorbent for carbonic acid gas at a high pressure to obtain a refined methane gas and then desorbing the carbonic acid from the carbonic acid gas-adsorbed adsorbent at a low pressure to obtain a substantially pure carbonic acid gas.

Abstract: A process for preparing uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine, which comprises treating a reaction solution obtained by the enzymatic conversion of uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine to uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine, with uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine pyrophosphorylase to decompose the remaining uridine diphosphate-N-acetylglucosamine in the solution and then separating therefrom the uridine diphosphate-N-acetylgalactosamine for purification. In one aspect of this invention, it relates to a method for measuring the activity of .alpha.-N-acetylgalactosaminyl transferase characterized by the use of said reaction solution as the substrate for the transferase.

Abstract: Water-absorbent resins having improved water-absorbency, water-absorption rate and water-dispersibility can be produced by crosslinking a water-absorbent resin comprising a carboxylate as a constituent of the resin with a crosslinking agent having at least two functional groups in the presence of water in a proportion of 0.01 to 1.3 parts by weight per part by weight of the resin in an inert solvent.

Abstract: A process for obtaining high concentration argon from air by means of pressure-swing-adsorption, characterized by passing air through a zeolite molecular sieve-packed adsorption apparatus and a carbon molecular sieve-packed adsorption apparatus in this order, subjecting the air to pressure-swing-adsorption operation independently in the above pieces of adsorption apparatus, thereby obtaining concentrated argon and high purity oxygen simultaneously.

Abstract: Water-absorbent resins having improved water-absorbency, water-absorption rate and water-dispersibility can be produced by crosslinking a water-absorbent resin comprising a carboxylate as a constituent of the resin with a crosslinking agent having at least two functional groups in the presence of water in a proportion of 0.01 to 1.3 parts by weight per part by weight of the resin in an inert solvent.

Abstract: A tanning process comprising pickling a hide which has previously subjected to beamhouse works such as depilation if necessary, decalcification and beating, in the presence of urotropin and at least one tanning improver selected from chromium and aluminum salts as well as from phenolic compounds, organic compounds containing nitrogen and sulphur or halogen atoms, organic carboxylic acids, organotin compounds, copper compounds and arsenic compounds.

Abstract: An alkali metal acrylate polymer obtained by suspending an aqueous solution of acrylic acid and an alkali metal acrylate in an alicyclic or aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent containing a surfactant having an HLB value of 8-12 and subjecting the suspension to inverse suspension polymerization in the presence of a water-soluble radical polymerization initiator has a much higher water-absorbency and particularly salt solution-absorbency than known ones. If said polymer is crosslinked with a crosslinking agent, its stability in the fluid-absorbed state for a long period of time is improved and the absorption rate when absorbing water is also improved.

Abstract: By subjecting a hide which has completed beamhouse work to a pickling treatment in the presence of urotropin (hexamethylenetetramine) and then to a chrome-tanning treatment, pH control of chrome-tanning bath becomes simpler and easier, the combination between hide and basic chrome complex increases, and the amount of residual chromium in the waste water can be minimized. Further, by treating the formed leather which has completed tanning treatment with ammonia or ammonium salt of weak acid in the chrome bath after use, the workability in the finishing steps improves, quality of the leather additionally improves, and the chromium content of the residual solution can be made nearly zero.