Abstract: It was discovered that the chemical compositions, comprising ammoniumpentaborate and alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal: sulfates, -sulfites and/or -hydrophosphates are excellent pesticides against wood decaying insects and fungi. The compositions of matter are also useful as fire retardants and anti-smoldering agents in textiles, wood materials and synthetic polymers.Mixtures of bariumtriborate and these barium salts (SO.sub.3, SO.sub.4, and/or HPO.sub.4) are useful as fire retardants in cellulose materials, paints, adhesives and synthetic polymers. The barium- and calcium-triborate compositions also act as pesticides and are useful in wood preservation against wood boring insects and wood decaying fungi.Ammoniumpentaborate (NH.sub.4.B.sub.5 O.sub.8.4 H.sub.2 O), ammoniumtetraborate [(NH.sub.4).sub.2.B.sub.4 O.sub.7.4 H.sub.2 O] and disodiumoctaborate (Na.sub.2 B.sub.8 O.sub.13.4 H.sub.

Abstract: When alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal tetraborates in a water suspension are suitably treated with ammonia and sulfuric acid, sulfurdioxide or phosphoric acid, they undergo a three-step transformation resulting in a mixture of ammoniumpentaborate, the corresponding alkali metal and/or alkaline earth metal salt(s): sulfate, sulfite or hydrophosphate and ammonia (Equation 1).Alternately, tetraborates undergo the same three-step reactions upon their treatment with equimolar amounts of ammoniumsulfate, ammoniumsulfite or diammoniumhydrogenphosphate, while the liberated ammonia can be boiled off with distilling water.This application deals with the discovery of highly effective, permanent flame retardant compositions which also possess excellent antismoldering, noncorrosive and fungal resistant properties when properly applied on cellulosic fibers, cellulose-lignin fiber insulation materials.

Abstract: Combustible materials such as fiber is made flame retardant by treating the material with a methanol or water solution containing the newly discovered compound ammoniumtriborate (NH.sub.4.B.sub.3 O.sub.5.3CH.sub.3 --OH) or a methanolic solution of newly discovered methylborate ammonia adduct. These new flame retardants have the ability to penetrate the combustible material when applied as a solution and thereafter be converted in situ to ammoniumpentaborate to result in enhanced flame retardation over that achieved by merely the direct treatment with ammoniumpentaborate with other borate flame retardants.

Abstract: A method for diagnosing and monitoring cancer, which comprises precipitating certain components from blood serum by addition of a benzenesulfonic acid or a benzylsulfonic acid, determining the sialic acid content of the supernatant, and comparing its sialic acid content with the sialic acid content of sera from healthy subjects after identical treatment. The determination of the sialic acid by the thiobarbituric acid colorimetric method is improved by addition of N,N-dimethylacetamide during development of the chromophore.

Abstract: This application deals with the discovery of a highly effective new flame retardant, ammoniumtriborate (NH.sub.4.B.sub.3 O.sub.5.3 CH.sub.3 -OH). Tetraborate ores, when treated in a warm methanolic suspension with ammonia and sulfurdioxide (or ammoniumsulfite), undergo a three-step transformation. First, through a displacement reaction, ammoniumtetraborate [(NH.sub.4).sub.2.B.sub.4 O.sub.7.4 H.sub.2 O] and alkali metal or alkaline earth metal sulfite are obtained. As a second step, ammoniumtetraborate spontaneously loses ammonia and transforms into a new compound, ammoniumtriborate (NH.sub.4.B.sub.3 O.sub.5.3 CH.sub.3 -OH). The third step of this reaction series can be initiated by water and heat treatment of ammoniumtriborate which undergoes a molecular change to ammoniumpentaborate (NH.sub.4.B.sub.5 O.sub.8.4 H.sub.2 O).

Abstract: High purity ammonium pentaborate or boric acid is produced from alkali metal and alkaline earth metal borate ores by a relatively non-corrosive technology requiring low energy, without polluting the environment, by treating finely ground borate ores with ammonia and sulphur dioxide or ammonium sulphite in the presence of methanol. Useful by-products, such as sulphites, or fertilizers, such as ammonium phosphates, can be obtained. If the ore is rendered anhydrous prior to treatment, there is produced methylborate-ammonia adduct which upon hydrolysis is transformed into ammonium pentaborate and boric acid.