Abstract: Methods are disclosed utilizing optically pure R-ketorolac for the treatment of pain, including but not limited to pain associated with toothaches, headaches, sprains, joint pain and surgical pain, for example dental pain (e.g., after periodontal surgery) and ophthalmic pain (e.g., after cataract surgery) while avoiding adverse effects which are associated with the administration of the racemic mixture of ketorolac. The optically pure R-ketorolac is also useful in treating pyrexia while avoiding the adverse effects associated with the administration of the racemic mixture of ketorolac.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for removing dissolving radon gas from water for the purpose of reducing the exposure of household occupants to elevated airborne radon levels. Radon removal is accomplished by a membrane - mediated air stripping process which is based on the passage of radon from water (28) flowing along one surface of the membrane to stripping air (27) flowing along the second surface of the membrane. Particularly useful are dense polymeric membranes comprised of silicone rubber and hydrophobic microporous membranes. The dense membranes may be self-supporting, but are preferably composite membranes consisting of a dense film on a porous support membrane. The system can employ a subsystem for storage and recirculation of treated water through a housing in which the radon-permeable membrane is supported. Optionally, a hybrid subsystem can be employed which includes a carbon adsorption subsystem for the treated water downstream of the housing.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention has general applicability to the manipulation of the concentration, by partial depletion or enrichment, of one or more volatile components in a given liquid while leaving the other volatile components in the liquid in a substantially undisturbed or unadulterated state.

Abstract: Method and apparatus are described for removing dissolved radon gas from water for the purpose of reducing the exposure of household occupants to elevated airborne Rn levels, using a radon-permeable membrane at the interface between gaseous and liquid process streams. The membranes are permeable to the passage of radon gas but substantially impermeable to the passage of the bulk phases. Water is passed along one surface of a membrane in a high-surface-area membrane module, while stripping air is passed along the second surface of the membrane. Radon diffuses from the water stream into the stripping air. The membranes allow rapid and efficient mass transfer in compact devices. The stripping air stream is preferably maintained at a pressure substantially below that of the water undergoing treatment and is supplied to the membrane stripping module by a low-pressure fan or by a blower. Hollow-fiber and other high-surface-area (e.g.

Abstract: This invention relates to novel methods for facilitating the enzymatic resolution of racemic mixtures of esters, which are derivatized with groups which enhance the esters' aqueous solubility, in an extractive member reactor where the enzyme is placed alternatively either (1) in the aqueous phase, (2) in association with the membrane, or (3) in the aqueous phase and in association with the membrane, wherein the aqueous ester phase is contacted with one side of the membrane, and where an organic extractive phase is contacted with the other side of the membrane, wherein the extractive phase serves to remove the resolving reaction product. Of particular significance regarding this invention is its use of water soluble esters that are derivatized with groups which enhance their aqueous solubility and their reactivity with enzymatic resolving methods which are mediated in an aqueous environment.

Abstract: This invention relates to a novel method of effecting aqueous enzymatic and homogeneous resolutions of racemic esters which exhibit enhanced aqueous solubility. The preferred embodiment of this invention relates to the resolutions which are effected by placing the enzyme and racemic esters in an aqueous phase wherein one of the ester enantiomers is preferentially and stereospecifically de-esterified to effect the resolution of the initial racemic mixture. In another embodiment of this invention, the resolutions are effected by placing the enzyme and racemic esters in an aqueous phase, and contacting this aqueous phase with an organic phase. The preferential and stereospecific de-esterification of one of the ester enantiomers is effected, and the chiral acid product of the de-esterification reaction is extracted into the organic phase.

Abstract: The method and apparatus of the present invention has general applicability to the manipulation of the concentration, by partial depletion or enrichment, of one or more volatile components in a given liquid while leaving the other volatile components in the liquid in a substantially undisturbed or unadulterated state.

Abstract: Low-ethanol wines, beer, distilled spirits, and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membranes and gas-phase extraction fluids are employed to selectively extract ethanol into the gas-phase, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. Methods are provided for balancing the water activity of the gas-phase extraction fluid about equal to that in the beverage, so as to inhibit water transport across the membrane independent of the ethanol/water selectivity of the membrane.

Abstract: Low-ethanol wines, beer, distilled spirits, and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membranes and gas-phase extraction fluids are employed to selectively extract ethanol into the gas-phase, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. Methods are provided for balancing the water activity of the gas-phase extraction fluid about equal to that in the beverage, so as to inhibit water transport across the membrane independent of the ethanol/water selectivity of the membrane.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composite immobulized liquid membrane of a solvent-swollen polymer and a microporous organic or inorganic support, the solvent being at least one highly polar solvent containing at least one nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous or sulfur atom, and having a boiling point of at least 100.degree. C. and a specified solubility parameter. The solvent or solvent mixture is homogeneously distributed through the solvent-swollen polymer from 20% to 95% by weight. The membrane is suitable for acid gas scrubbing and oxygen/nitrogen separation.

Abstract: Low-ethanol wines and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membrances and extraction fluids comprising either of a non-toxic, water-immiscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution of a low-molecular-weight but membrane-impermeable solute are used under mild conditions to selectively extract ethanol from alcoholic beverages, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. The methods disclosed may be adapted to continuous processing of alcohol-containing beverages, in which an ethanol-rich product is continuously recovered from the organic or aqueous extraction fluid and the latter is continuously regenerated and subsequently recycled to the membrane extraction unit.

Abstract: This invention relates to the resolution of racemic mixtures of optically active compounds, including but not limited to the stereochemical purification of chiral organic esters, amides, carboxylic acids, alcohols, and amines. Novel methods utilizing multiphase and extractive enzyme membrane bioreactors are disclosed that selectively produce pure or substantially purified optically active compounds from achiral precursors or mixtures of isomers in which one or several of those isomers are biologically inactive or otherwise lack desirable characteristics. There are immiscible solvents on either side of the membrane.

Abstract: A catalyst such as an enzyme is contained in an asymmetric membrane between two immiscible liquid streams. A catalytic reaction is carried out by introducing a reactant to one stream and removing a product from the other stream. When the catalyst becomes deactivated, the membrane can be recharged with catalyst by displacing the deactivated catalyst and introducing fresh catalyst. The membrane has a skin layer that has pores sufficiently small so as to prevent leakage of the catalyst and a highly porous region that contains the catalyst. Insolubility of the catalyst in the immiscible liquid prevents loss of the catalyst for the highly porous region.

Abstract: Catalytic chemical and biochemical conversion reactions are carried out in a novel compartmentalized catalytic reactor which enables the energy-efficient coupling of the conversion reaction with various energy-consuming post-conversion operations. The catalytic reactor is compartmentalized by means of a multilayer composite membrane comprising a catalytic membrane layer and one or more permselective membrane layers. The arrangement and properties of the membrane layers are such as to enable the free energy change of the conversion reaction to be utilized as the required energy source for effecting various post-conversion operations, including product separation, recovery and enrichment, and second-stage catalytic conversions with unfavorable reaction equilibria.

Abstract: Low-ethanol wines and other alcoholic beverages are produced by treating ordinary alcoholic beverages with novel membrane extraction methods. Semipermeable membranes and extraction fluids comprised either of a non-toxic, water-immiscible organic solvent or an aqueous solution of a low-molecular-weight but membrane-impermeable solute are used under mild conditions to selectively extract ethanol from alcoholic beverages, while leaving substantially intact the complement of other organic constituents that contribute to the color, aroma, and taste of the beverage. The methods disclosed may be adapted to continuous processing of alcohol-containing beverages, in which an ethanol-rich product is continuously recovered from the organic or aqueous extraction fluid and the latter is continuously regenerated and subsequently recycled to the membrane extraction unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel method for conducting phase transfer catalysis in a multiphase reaction system wherein the different phases are separated by a membrane permeable to the phase transfer catalyst and its various reaction complexes. The invention also relates to membranes and a membrane-containing apparatus useful in carrying out phase transfer catalysis.

Abstract: A composite immobilized liquid membrane suitable for acid gas scrubbing is disclosed. The membrane is a solvent-swollen polymer and a microporous polymeric support, the solvent being selected from a class of highly polar solvents containing at least one atom selected from nitrogen, oxygen, phosphorous and sulfur, and having a boiling point of at least 100.degree. C. and a solubility parameter of from about 7.5 to about 13.5 (cal/cm.sup.3 -atm).sup.1/2. Such solvents are homogeneously distributed through the solvent-swollen polymer from 20% to 95% by weight. Also disclosed are methods of acid gas scrubbing of high- and low-Btu gas effluents with such solvent-swollen membranes.

Abstract: A process is disclosed for the recovery and reuse of the heat contained in the gas/vapor overhead mixture from a stripping column in which a noncondensable gas is stripped from a liquid solution by contacting the solution with a hot vapor such as steam. The steam or other vapor in the overhead mixture is separated from the non-condensable gas or gases by preferentially passing the vapor through a semipermeable membrane. The water or other condensable vapor is then compressed and either reinjected at the bottom of the stripping column or condensed in the column reboiler, thus permitting its reuse in the stripping process. If the compressed vapor is reinjected into the stripping column, it serves as the stripping medium itself. If the compessed vapor is condensed in the column reboiler, its latent heat of vaporization is thereby recovered and used to generate the required stripping vapor by boiling the solution being stripped.

Abstract: An improved process for the continuous separation of a thermoplastic resin from solutions thereof in organic solvents.

Abstract: An improved process for the continuous recovery of solid thermoplastic resin from organic solvent solutions using a modified slurry granulation-steam stripping process.