Abstract: Processes and apparatus for the removal of waste metabolites from metabolite-containing solutions are disclosed. The disclosed processes include alternatively adsorbing and desorbing the metabolites on a pair of adsorbent-containing columns, each column being maintained at a reduced temperature during adsorption and at an elevated temperature during desorption, with the columns being flushed subsequent to desorption and prior to their re-use for adsorption thereon.

Abstract: The relative concentrations of solvent and solute in a solution are altered by a system which includes a cell having chambers separated by a membrane and a means for creating a pressure differential across the membrane. A solution moves through an inlet means around the system and countercurrent and reflux flow and outlet means. The cell may be formed of modular units in such a way as to effect a tapered configuration so that the flow rate is homogeneous around the system.

Abstract: A filter connection for peritoneal dialysis is presented including, in a flow line from a source of fresh dialysate solution carried on the patient's body, and under pressure, through a bacteria filter of sub-micron porosity for removing microorganisms generally greater than about 0.2 microns (nominal size) together with tubular connections leading from the filter toward a catheter inserted in the patient's peritoneum including in order from the filter, a first check valve permitting flow only away from the filter, then an outflow port with check valve permitting used dialysis flow only away from the patient, and finally the connection to the catheter tube.

Abstract: Organics are separated from aqueous solutions by contacting the aqueous solution feed with a first surface of a polymeric membrane selectively permeable to organic components; while maintaining a second and opposite membrane surface at a lower chemical potential than the first membrane surface for said organic components, permeating a portion of the organic components into and through the membrane; and withdrawing from the second membrane surface a mixture having a higher total concentration of organic components than the organic components concentration of the aqueous solution feed stream.

Abstract: A soft, flexible cover which is adapted to be attached over the open top of a container has a transparent section for viewing the contents of a container with which the cover is used, a filter section for removing entrained matter from air entering the container, and a tubular section for sealable attachment to a suction tube extending therethrough into the container.

Abstract: A method of separating an oil-and-water phase from an oil-and-water emulsion, which method comprises passing the emulsion first through a wall of a prefilter composed first of fibres having an energy of adhesion of from 2 to 50 ergs/cm.sup.2 to form larger oil droplets, and, thereafter, passing the larger oil droplets and the emulsion through adjacent layers of glass fibres, to separate the oil phase from the oil-and-water emulsion, and then collecting and removing the oil phase, while permitting the passage of an essentially oil-free water phase of the emulsion from the prefilter.

Abstract: Membranes for hemodialysis prepared from polycarbonate materials have superior transport properties for middle molecular weight molecules than do cellulosic membranes while maintaining approximately the same ultrafiltration rate as cellulosic membranes. A percentage of patients treated using dialysers containing polycarbonate membranes show improved hematocrit and neurobehavioral functions.

Abstract: In a long vertical shaft sewage circulation waste treatment process where influent waste is introduced into the shaft through a downcomer conduit, an improvement is provided whereby the downcomer conduit, because of its flexible construction, is made to collapse by the application of external pressure from surrounding fluid waste in the shaft. Such collapse acts as a check valve which pinches closed the influent conduit and prevents reversal of flow in the circulation system. External pressure collapse of the flexible conduit is produced by a pressure differential between influent within the conduit and the surrounding fluid waste caused, for example, by flow interruption or power failure. The need to employ mechanical check valves, which are subject to malfunction, is eliminated.

Abstract: A medical liquid dispensing device such as a medical administering dripset or a syringe having a liquid conducting tube comprising at least one partition element forming in the liquid conducting tube, at least two liquid passageways longitudinally separate from each other across the partition element, and at least one elongated microporous tubular element which extends in part in at least one of the two liquid passageways in the liquid conducting tube from the partition element. The tubular element has at least one longitudinal passageway closed in at least one of the liquid passageways in the liquid conducting tube. Thus, the microporous tubular element serves as a microporous filter medium for collecting on its inner and/or outer peripheral surfaces the solid particles contained in a liquid medicament or transfusion blood passed through the microporous tubular element.

Abstract: Dialysis apparatus is provided of the type comprising a casing housing a central cylindrical core which is surrounded by a plurality of layers of capillary tubes constituted by hollow, semi-permeable, fibres. Blood to be treated is caused to flow through the capillary tubes while dialysing solution is passed over the outer surfaces of the tubes. To facilitate the construction of dialysis apparatus with different dialysing surface areas without altering the dimensions of the casing or core, the core is arranged to dismountably carry a plurality of spacing annuli around which the layers of capillary tubes are wound. The diameter of the annuli determines how many layers of capillary tubes can be accommodated in the casing.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for ambulatory intraperitoneal dialysis, comprising at least two containers one filled with unused dialysis fluid and one empty, each container being provided with flow regulating means and with a connecting tube ending in a Y-shaped junction whose common branch is connected to a third tube, provided at its free end with a sterile needle. The needle is inserted in a second Y-shaped junction having two branches each containing two membranes which form therebetween a sterilizing liquid chamber. The common channel of the second Y-shaped junction is connected to an external portion of an intraperitoneal catheter. By appropriate positioning of the containers and operation of the regulating means, used solution may be drained and fresh solution introduced.

Abstract: An intubation set includes a flexible sheath, a probe inserted in the flexible sheath having a proximal end extending out of the sheath and a length of tubing secured to the sheath to permit the tubing to be positioned in a body by inserting the probe within the sheath into the body, withdrawing the probe from the sheath and pulling the sheath through the body to position the tubing by grasping an end of the sheath. A method of positioning the length of tubing in the lacrimal ducts utilizes the intubation set with a pair of flexible sheaths connected with the tubing and a pair of probes received in the sheaths.

Abstract: Polymers from the group consisting of cellulose and its ester and ether derivatives, of polyvinyl alcohol and its ester derivatives, copolymers with vinyl esters and homopolymers and copolymers of acrylates and methacrylates are modified with monofunctional or difunctional cyclic .beta.-ketonic acids or their esters, in particular with succinylsuccinic acid or its ester derivatives. The modified polymers are particularly suitable for obtaining semi-permeable membranes for osmotic separation methods.

Abstract: Cellulose derivative reverse osmosis membrane containing tetracarboxylic acid and mono- or divalent carboxylic acid.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for continuous pH control of aqueous liquid systems, particularly biological and biochemical systems such as stored blood, by sorption of H.sup.+ andwith a passive ion acceptor material isolated from, but in contact with liquid of said system in a selectively permeable membrane packet. Liquid systems of interest are those with an initial pH in the range of from about 4.5 to 9.0, and the pH of the system is maintained by the invention at its initial value, or brought within, and maintained in, the range of from about 6.5 to 8.0. The ion acceptor material is selected from an inorganic, relatively water insoluble metal oxide, hydroxide, phosphate or silicate matrix, which matrix is capable of maintaining a quasi-equilibrium pH state with the aqueous liquid system. The matrixing metals are preferably selected from Ti, Al and B.

Abstract: A blood filter device has a housing including a frame, which is provided at opposite ends with an inlet and an outlet and extends in a plane containing a line connecting the inlet and outlet, and a pair of side plates extending on opposite sides of the frame and defining a filtering space together with the frame. The housing accommodates a filter support and a pair of flat filter elements disposed on opposite sides of the filter support such that each filter element defines together with the filter support a blood-exit space communicating with the outlet and also defines together with the associated side plate a blood-entering space communicating with the inlet. Between the filter support and inlet is provided a distributing and air trapping chamber communicating with the individual blood-entering spaces and defining a space to receive blood from the inlet to trap air contained in the blood and present in the filter device to prevent the air from reaching the filter elements.

Abstract: A system for treating organic emulsions by separating by coalescence the disperse phase from the dispersion phase of the emulsion includes a single enclosed chamber having therein a lower destabilizing area, a central filtering and coalescence area, and an upper flotation and separation area. An emulsion to be treated is continuously introduced and passed upwardly through the destabilizing area, the filtering and coalescence area and the flotation and separation area. The flotation and separation area includes a center portion positioned vertically above the filtering and coalescence area and at least one lateral portion in flow communication with the center portion and extending laterally downwardly along a side of the filtering and coalescence area and the destabilizing area. The lateral portion of the flotation and separation area is laterally separated from the filtering and coalescence area and from the destabilizing area by a partition.

Abstract: A blood filter in which the pore size of the filtering media generally decreases through a series of at least three stages where the filtering capacity of at least the first stage is chosen so as to accommodate without substantial impairment of function the quantity of large particle size debris which is normally present in a predetermined amount of blood. The filtering media is composed of several plies of porous material including both depth and screen filter elements. These filter elements are arranged in one or more elongated bands. The bands are spirally wound into a cylindrical form around a generally rigid, perforate core. The ends of the spirally wound cylindrically configured filter are sealed to produce a filter cartridge. The filter cartridge is in turn sealed into a container which has blood inlet and outlet ports arranged so that blood normally flows radially inwardly through the filter.

Abstract: A fluid filter apparatus has a standard filter element in it which has the usual end gaskets seated in annular grooves. An axial drive shaft positively rotates the filter element through key-like means between the shaft and the wall of a groove. An automatic system starts and stops the rotation.

Abstract: A semipermeable composite membrane comprising a thin semipermeable film of a polymeric material deposited on one side of a microporous substrate, said polymeric material being prepared by crosslinking a soluble polymer containing at least 30 mole % of a recurring unit of the formula ##STR1## wherein all symbols are as defined in claim 1, and having at least 0.2 milliequivalent, per gram of said polymer, of an amino group containing 1 or 2 active hydrogen atoms, with a polyfunctional compound containing at least two functional groups capable of reacting with the amino group having 1 or 2 active hydrogen atoms; and a process for preparing the same. The semipermeable composite membrane of this invention is especially useful for desalination of saline or brackish water by reverse osmosis.