Abstract: Novel fatliquoring compositions used for treating mineral-tanned leathers are effective substitutes for oils which have conventionally been used to soften leather. The compositions comprise monomers which polymerize in situ and soften the leather by breaking the leather fibers into smaller units which can move about when the leather is deformed. Useful monomers are unsaturated phosphatidyl esters, such as phosphatidyl choline, and unsaturated fatty monomers, such as esters of unsaturated fatty alcohols and acrylic acid and vinyl esters of unsaturated fatty acids.

Abstract: An improved high gradient magnetic separation device wherein field gradients are produced by applying a relatively uniform magnetic field to a matrix of filamentary ferromagnetic material contained in a separation chamber, the improvement comprising providing the filamentary material with a coating of a hydrogel polymer. The improved device is particularly useful for the separation of biological entities, such as cells, proteins, organelles, enzymes, and the like for mixtures containing same.