Abstract: Methods and systems for treating oil sands tailings streams at an elevated pH using lime are disclosed herein. In some embodiments, the method comprises providing a tailings stream including 10-55% solids by total weight, increasing the pH of the tailings stream by combining the tailings stream with lime to produce a lime-tailings mixture having a pH of at least 11.0, and dewatering the lime-tailings mixture to produce a first stream having 10% or less solids by total weight and a second stream having 50% or more solids by total weight. The first stream can correspond to a release water stream, and the second stream can correspond to a cake. The lime slurry can include about 10% lime by total weight, and can comprise lime hydrate, quicklime, or a combination thereof. Dewatering the lime-tailings mixture can include routing the lime-tailings mixture to a centrifuge unit and/or a pressure or vacuum filtration unit.

Abstract: A method for improving the quality of pond water used in aquaculture applications by adding to the pond water active bacteria that are preferably germinated from spores on site using a nutrient-germinant composition and an incubation method for increased spore germination efficiency, in combination with a nitrification enhancement agent such as calcium carbonate or calcified seaweed, and an optional reaction surface area modifier such as calcified seaweed or plastic or metal particles or fragments. The nutrient-germinant composition comprises L-amino acids, D-glucose and/or D-fructose, a phosphate buffer, an industrial preservative, and may include bacteria spores (preferably of one or more Bacillus species) or they may be separately combined for germination. The incubation method comprises heating a nutrient germinant composition and bacteria spores, to a temperature range of 35° C. to 60° C.

Abstract: A hydrophilic graphitic material is provided that may be formed by heating a graphitic material to a temperature between about 150° C. to about 1400° C. for an extended period of time under an inert atmosphere. Annealing CNT film at 500 to 1400 removes amorphous carbon to produce purified CNT film. The purified CNT film can be further densified with the treatment of alkylphosphonic acid or alkyldiphophonic acid and heating to produce a hydrophilic, densified CNT film which is mechanically robust and does not adhere to other solid surfaces. These films can be used as filtration membranes with superior membrane fouling resistance among other uses.

Abstract: A water production system with a thermal separation device that defines a cold region and a hot region, a fluid-air heat exchanger located remotely from the thermal separation device and exposed to air, and a fluid circulation loop that thermally connects the cold region of the thermal separation device to the fluid-air heat exchanger so as to cool the fluid-air heat exchanger and condense water from ambient air to produce water pure enough so that with further treatment it can be made potable. Also disclosed are filtration and dispensing features that are appropriate for a potable water supply.

Abstract: A mesoporous isoporous asymmetric material includes at least one diblock or multiblock copolymer, wherein the material has a transition layer having a thickness of at least 300 nm and a low macrovoid density, and the material has a sub-structure adjacent to said transition layer and said sub-structure comprises a high macrovoid density. A method for producing mesoporous isoporous asymmetric materials having macrovoids can include: dissolving at least one diblock or multiblock copolymer in a solution, the solution having one or more solvents and one or more nonsolvents, to form a polymer solution; dispensing the polymer solution onto a substrate or mold, or through a die or template; removing at least a portion of solvent and/or nonsolvent from the polymer solution to form a concentrated polymer solution; and exposing the concentrated polymer solution to a nonsolvent causing precipitation of at least a portion of the polymer from the concentrated polymer solution.

Abstract: Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

Abstract: A plug unit configured for use in high performance liquid chromatography is described. The plug unit comprises a capillary comprising a capillary distal face; a sealing element, wherein at least a portion of the sealing element is located distal from the capillary distal face; and a biasing element configured to bias the capillary towards the sealing element.

Abstract: A plant for the treatment of waste water on board of vessels having a collection tank of black water and grey water, a primary treatment unit including a band filter, a secondary treatment unit including a micro-filtration or ultra-filtration module and a tertiary treatment unit including an ozone treatment module is provided.

Abstract: Functionalized particulate support material and chromatographic media prepared therefrom are disclosed. The functionalized particulate support material is a plurality of particles, each particle having a particle surface. Chemically bonded to and extending from the surface of the particles is a combination of hydrophobic and hydrophilic functional groups. The hydrophobic functional groups enable polymerization of one or more monomers onto the particle surface while the hydrophilic functional groups provide increased wettability of the particle surface compared to an unmodified particle surface. The functionalized particulate support material may be further processed so as to form polymer chains extending from the hydrophobic functional groups. In one embodiment, the resulting polymer functionalized material is useful as a chromatographic media in chromatography columns or cartridges, such as in a liquid chromatography (HPLC) column.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for producing a porous monolayer polymer membrane, to a porous monolayer polymer membrane, and to the use of the polymer membrane for filtration.

Abstract: Devices for the separation of components within a fluid are disclosed herein. The device typically includes layers of spacers and separation surfaces. The separation panels have channels with functionalized surfaces to attract and retain components within the fluid. The separation panels include a border (housing) to constrain the fluid.

Abstract: A nanoporous polymer membrane with vertically aligned pore channels can be synthesized through self-assembly of amphiphilic block copolymers on a supporting substrate. The pore surface chemistry can be functionalized for selective anion transport.

Abstract: The present invention provides a room-temperature selective swelling method of pore-forming used for preparing separation membranes, comprising: treating a dense membrane of an amphiphilic block copolymer by a composite swelling agent at 15-30° C. for 1 min-24 h, removing the residual solvent, then leaving the membrane at room temperature to dry, so as to obtain an amphiphilic block copolymer separation membrane with a bi-continuous porous structure, wherein the composite swelling agent is composed of 60-96% of a first swelling agent and 4-40% of a second swelling agent, the first swelling agent is an alcohol solvent, the second swelling agent is selected from any one or a mixture of two or more of toluene, styrene, tetrahydrofuran, 1,4-dioxane and so on. In the method of the invention, selective swelling can be achieved at room temperature, abating the energy consumption in membrane-forming process.

Abstract: The invention concerns an underwater water treatment unit which has specific cleaning means which are suitable for cleaning filtration membranes in the unconventional conditions associated with use at great or very great depths, as well as a method for cleaning the membrane of the underwater water treatment unit.

Abstract: The disclosure provides systems and methods useful for predicting or detecting a malfunction in a chromatography process in real-time. In some embodiments, the disclosure provides systems and methods for detecting an atypical profile in a process chromatogram in ion-exchange chromatography of a biologic product.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for preparing a monolithic stationary phase in the interior volume of a chromatography column made of thermoplastic polymer. This method comprises the following steps: (i) modifying the inner wall of the chromatography column by implementing the following steps: (a) preparing a polymerizable anchoring composition comprising at least one particular methacrylate monomer, one or more solvents and 2,2-dimethoxy-2-phenylacetophenone, (b) depositing, on the inner wall of the column, the polymerizable anchoring composition prepared in step (a), and (c) polymerizing the polymerizable anchoring composition by irradiation with ultraviolet radiation; (ii) introducing, into the interior volume of the column, a polymerizable monolith synthesis composition comprising first and second particular (meth)acrylate monomers, one or more pore-forming agents and a free-radical polymerization initiator; and (iii) polymerizing the polymerizable monolith synthesis composition.

Abstract: Embodiments described herein relate generally to durable graphene oxide membranes for fluid filtration. For example, the graphene oxide membranes can be durable under high temperatures non-neutral pH, and/or high pressures. One aspect of the present disclosure relates to a filtration apparatus comprising: a support substrate, and a graphene oxide membrane disposed on the support substrate. The graphene oxide membrane has a first lactose rejection rate of at least 50% with a first 1 wt % lactose solution at room temperature. The graphene oxide membrane has a second lactose rejection rate of at least 50% with a second 1 wt % lactose solution at room temperature after the graphene oxide membrane is contacted with a solution that is at least 80° C. for a period of time.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for treating wastewater containing heavy metal. First, the wastewater containing heavy metal is subjected to a homogenization treatment, such that the water quality of the wastewater containing heavy metal from different processes is homogenized. The homogenized wastewater containing heavy metal is subjected to an anaerobic-aerobic circulating treatment in a membrane bioreactor (2), in which heavy metal ions are reduced by the action of microorganisms in the anaerobic treatment process. The membrane bioreactor (2) is filled with a hollow fiber membrane (3) containing a quinone group, which serves as an electron mediator that can accelerate the enzymatic reduction of heavy metal ions during the anaerobic treatment. During the aerobic treatment, the COD and SS in the wastewater are further removed.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to the determination of analytes in a sample using chromatography. The present disclosure provides methods of separating an analyte from a sample. A mobile phase is flowed through a chromatography column. The mobile phase includes about 0.005% (v/v) to about 2.50% (v/v) difluoroacetic acid and less than about 100 ppb of any individual impurity, especially metal impurities. A sample including the analyte is injected into the mobile phase. The analyte is separated from the sample.

Abstract: A porous membrane includes a triblock copolymer of the formula ABC. B is a hydrogenated vinyl aromatic block present in a range from 30 to 90 weight percent, based on the total weight of the copolymer and has a Tg of ?110° C. C is a rubbery block present in a range from 10 to 70 weight percent, based on the total weight of the copolymer and has a Tg?25° C. A is substantially incompatible with both the B and C blocks and is derived from ring-opening polymerization. B+C is present in a range from 70 to 95 weight percent, based on the total weight of the copolymer.