Abstract: Enzyme-occluding polymer particles are produced by a method including the steps of dissolving an enzyme in an aqueous solution of poly(vinyl alcohol) possessing a styrylpyridinium group or a styrylquinolinium group, spray drying the aqueous solution, and exposing the resultant dry particles to an actinic ray, thereby photo-crosslinking the particles.

Abstract: A fibrous support for immobilizing enzymes and cells is prepared as a roll formed by winding a braid on a tubular frame member. The braid is formed in a tubular shape with a plurality of rovings containing very thin long filaments. The roll is formed by cross-winding of the braid to crush intersecting portions of the tubular braid flat. The roll of braid has an external void ratio of 15 to 30%. The thin long filaments of the tubular braid are obtained by spinning a mixture of polymers to form a plurality of fibers containing a soluble component and an insoluble component, joining the fibers to form a roving, forming a tubular braid from a plurality of the rovings and washing the braid to dissolve out the soluble component to produce separated thin long filaments of the insoluble component.

Abstract: Rare earth metals are adsorbed on an ion exchange fiber comprising an ion exchanger having a strong cation exchange group and a weak cation exchange group, and the adsorbed metals are fractionally eluted with an aqueous solution of a chelating agent, whereby the respective rare earth metals can be separated at high efficiency in a short time. According to this method, elution can be accomplished at an elution rate of 5.0 or above in terms of space velocity.

Abstract: A novel enzyme-active fibrous material is proposed comprising fibers of a rtially aminoacetalized polyvinyl alcohol as the support and an enzyme adsorbed and bonded thereto such as glucose isomerase, invertase, urease and the like. The enzyme-active fibrous material of the invention is readily prepared by dipping fibers of the partially aminoacetalized polyvinyl alcohol in an aqueous solution of the desired enzyme. The enzymatic activity and the physical properties of the fibers are remarkably improved by the use of extra-fine fibers prepared with composite fibers of a partially aminoacetalized polyvinyl alcohol and a polyethyleneoxide subjected to selective leaching away of the latter component or by the use of so-called sheath-and-core type or side-by-side type composite fibers of which one of the components is a partially aminoacetalized polyvinyl alcohol.

Abstract: A device for removal of excess water from blood is formed by having a plurality of solution chambers and a plurality of blood chambers arranged alternately, partitioning the adjoining ones of the alternately disposed chambers by insertion of semi-permeable membranes one each along the boundaries thereof and having a sorbent retained in the form of a bed inside the blood chambers, whereby the blood containing waste material and excess water in consequence of renal insufficiency is freed from such fouling substances by causing the blood to flow through the blood chambers in order for the beds of sorbent to deprive the blood of the waste material through sorption and for the high concentration solutions flowing through the adjoining solution chambers to deprive the blood of the excess water through osmosis effected through the medium of the semi-permeable membranes.