Abstract: The present invention provides a new water purification method and system using reverse osmosis. In particular, the present invention provides methods and water purification systems using an ion exchange resin and absorbent media for pretreatment of water being fed to a reverse osmosis treatment system, where the pretreatment reduces fouling of, or deposits or chemical attack on the membrane surfaces and passageways. Particularly, a macroporous resin having an average pore diameter in the range of 1,000 to 500,000 Angstroms and a crush strength or Chatillon value of at least 24 g/bead (710 ?m bead diameter) is used.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of copolymers A containing a) from 50 to 99% by weight of at least one N-vinyllactam or N-vinylamine selected from the group consisting of N-vinylpyrrolidone, N-vinylpiperidone, N-vinylcaprolactam, N-vinylimidazole, methylated N-vinylimidazole, and N-vinylformamide, and b) from 1 to 50% by weight of at least one monomer selected from the group consisting of b1) C8-C30-alkyl esters of monoethylenically unsaturated C3-C8 carboxylic acids; b2) N—C8-C30-alkyl-substituted amides of monoethylenically unsaturated C3-C8 carboxylic acids; b3) N,N—C8-C30-dialkyl-substituted amides of monoethylenically unsaturated C3-C8 carboxylic acids; b4) vinyl esters of aliphatic C8-C30 carboxylic acids; and b5) C8-C30-alkyl vinyl ethers to produce membranes.

Abstract: Molecularly imprinted polymer membranes for selectively collecting phosphate, nitrate and ferric ions are disclosed, prepared by copolymerizing a matrix monomer, cross-linking agent, ion imprinting complex, permeability agent and polymerization initiator, after which the ions of the ion imprinting complex are permeability agent are removed. The permeability agent creates channels in the membrane permitting the ion binding sites in the membrane to communicate with the exterior surface of the membrane.

Abstract: The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.

Abstract: An apparatus containing crosslinked polymer for binding phosphate anions is provided, the polymer comprises a polyvalent cation attached to the polymer through at least one covalently bound anionic functional group, and wherein the anionic group is selected from a group consisting of sulfonate, carboxylate, phosphonate and mixtures thereof and wherein the cation is selected from a group consisting of aluminum, calcium, magnesium, molybdenum, manganese, titanium, barium, strontium, zirconium, vanadium, scandium, lanthanum, yttrium, cerium, nickel, iron, copper, cobalt, chromium, zinc and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining a ratio of an amount of a glycated form of a protein to a total amount of the protein in a sample containing the glycated protein, the glycosylated protein, or the glycoprotein. The method incorporates lateral flow test strip or vertical flow test strip devices having negatively charged carboxyl or carboxylate groups and hydroxyboryl groups immobilized and interspersed on a solid support matrix. The solid support matrix may include derivatives of cellulose (e.g., carboxy cellulose) derivatized with carboxylic acid (e.g., carboxylate, carboxyl) groups and hydroxyboryl compounds including phenylboronic acid (e.g., phenylborate), aminophenylboronic acid, boric acid (e.g., borate), or other boronic acid (e.g., boronate) compounds. The present invention is usefi.il for monitoring glycation or glycosylation of hemoglobin or albumin for monitoring glycemic control (e.g., glycemia in diabetes).

Abstract: A defect free semipermeable composite membrane having outstanding integrity and high water permeability is provided. Said composite membrane comprises an inside support layer to provide sufficient mechanical strength, an outside barrier layer to provide selective separation and a middle layer to provide both chemical and physical binding between the support and the barrier layer. Two different methods for making said defect free composite membrane are discovered. These methods have been successfully used to produce high quality coatings and defect free composite membranes, which are independent of chemical composition and physical structure of said support. In the present invention, the ultrasonic sonication is utilized to speed up the phase inversion process of a membrane casting solution, and to produce a composite membrane at a speed higher than that disclosed in the prior art.

Abstract: A defect free semipermeable composite membrane having excellent integrity and high water permeability is provided. Said composite membrane comprises an inside support layer to provide sufficient mechanical strength; an outside barrier layer to provide selective separation; and a middle layer to provide both chemical and physical binding between said support and said barrier layer to bond them together. Three different methods for making said defect free composite membrane are discovered. These methods have been successfully utilized to produce high quality coatings and defect free composite membranes, which are independent of chemical composition and physical structure of said support. In the present invention, ultrasonic sonication is discovered to be effective to speed up the phase inversion process of a membrane casting solution, thus allows produce a composite membrane at a speed higher than those disclosed in the prior art.

Abstract: An organic porous material having selective adsorption ability for boron, characterized in that it has an open cell structure comprising macro pores jointed to one another and, formed within the wall of the macro pore, meso pores having a pore diameter of 0.02 to 200 ?m, has a total pore volume of 1 to 50 ml/g, and contains a compound capable of forming a complex with boric acid introduced through a covalent bonding in an amount of 1 ?mol/g-dry porous material or more. The organic porous material exhibits improved ability for adsorbing boron and also is excellent in stability, and a boron removing module and an ultra-pure water production apparatus using the porous material have extremely high utility.

Abstract: The current invention provides methods for molecule purification by RP-LC and RP-HPLC that uses unbranched terminal alkyldiols as eluting solvents. In particular, the present invention purifies molecules, particularly proteins and peptides, on reverse phase liquid chromatography columns using a buffer containing either 1,5 pentanediol, 1,6 hexanediol or 1,7 heptanediol.

Abstract: Membranes and methods for making membranes are disclosed. The membranes include a polymeric matrix and a particulate material immobilized within the matrix. The membranes may find particular application in methods and apparatus for removing organic compounds from a biological fluid as part of a pathogen inactivation treatment.

Abstract: Molecularly imprinted polymer membranes for selectively collecting phosphate, nitrate and ferric ions are disclosed, prepared by copolymerizing a matrix monomer, cross-linking agent, ion imprinting complex, permeability agent and polymerization initiator, after which the ions of the ion imprinting complex are permeability agent are removed. The permeability agent creates channels in the membrane permitting the ion binding sites in the membrane to communicate with the exterior surface of the membrane.

Abstract: Porous membranes of (per)fluorinated amorphous polymers having a porosity in the range 5-500 nm, preferably 20-100 nm, measured by an atomic force electronic microscope; the membrane pore average size distribution being narrow, about 80%-90% of the pores have a size ranging from minus 5 nm to plus 5 nm of the value of the distribution maximum peak.

Abstract: The invention provides an implantable membrane for regulating the transport of analytes therethrough that includes a matrix including a first polymer; and a second polymer dispersed throughout the matrix, wherein the second polymer forms a network of microdomains which when hydrated are not observable using photomicroscopy at 400× magnification or less. In one aspect, the homogeneous membrane of the present invention has hydrophilic domains dispersed substantially throughout a hydrophobic matrix to provide an optimum balance between oxygen and glucose transport to an electrochemical glucose sensor.

Abstract: A porous thermoplastic resin film capable of functioning well as a separator of a cell is provided. The porous film is constituted with a thermoplastic resin and a filler, wherein XR defined by the following formula: XR=25×TGUR×d2/Y is smaller than 5, where Y(&mgr;m), TGUR (sec/100 cc), and d (&mgr;m) represent the thickness, the gurley value, and the average pore diameter of said film, respectively. The porous film constructed as shown above can reduce the internal resistance of a cell when used as a separator of the cell.

Abstract: The invention concerns an anti-microbial porous part based on a polymeric material grafted at the surface and in its volume with ammonium motifs with anti-microbial and/or bactericidal and/or fungicide activity, preferably benzalkonium. The invention is characterised in that it has a porosity sufficiently high to enable a liquid with compatible viscosity to pass through its structure and sufficiently low to trap contaminating germs within said structure.

Abstract: A pore plugging material, for pH dependent membrane diffusion, in which cyclic olefins having phosphazene-functional moieties provide predictable erosion properties when used to plug pores in separation barriers and other porous membranes. Specific properties of the polymers are dependent on several factors, including molecular weight and identity of side groups attached to the phosphazene moiety. However, as a class, phosphazene-functional cyclic olefins provide both predictable erodibility and uniformly benign hydrolysis products and are, therefore, uniquely suitable as pore plugging polymers for separation barriers and membranes of all kinds. The invention, therefore, embraces the provision of a pH-sensitive erodible pore plugging material for pores in separation barriers and membranes of all kinds.

Abstract: A novel microporous membrane comprising a hot-melt adhesive and an engineering plastics, the methods of preparing such microporous membrane and the uses of the microporous membrane in, e.g., batteries, super capacitors, fuel cells, sensors, electrochromic devices or the like.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for treatment of waste water effluent includes a main conduit connected to a source of waste water, and a removable filter positioned within the main conduit, the filter having a light weight particulate material for filtration of the effluent. A drain field for filtration treatment of waste water effluent includes a source of waste water effluent, a main conduit in fluid connection with the source of waste water, and at least one in-line filter positioned within the main conduit, the filter having a light weight particulate material. The drain field may include at least one extension conduit connected in fluid communication with the main conduit and extending substantially upwardly therefrom, the extension conduit having a removable cap and a sensor to thereby generate a signal when water in the extension conduit reaches a predetermined level.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis composite membrane comprises a sponge layer, and a separation layer formed on a surface of the sponge layer, wherein at least one substance selected from the group consisting of an electrically neutral organic substance and an electrically neutral polymer is present in the separation layer or a surface of the separation layer is coated with at least one substance selected from the group consisting of an electrically neutral organic substance and an electrically neutral polymer, and wherein the specific surface area of the layer in which the at least one substance is present or the separation layer before the surface coating is in the range of 2 to 1,000. The reverse osmosis composite membrane has a high salt rejection, a high water permeability, and a high fouling tolerance, and permits practical desalination at a relatively low pressure.

Abstract: A device for the rapid separation and/or conversion of substrates is disclosed herein. The device include a porous tube (2) disposed inside a tubular sample distributor (3). The tubular sample distributor (3) includes channel structures on its inner surface and is disposed inside a tubular body (4). A tubular sample collector (1) having channel structures on its outer surface is disposed inside the porous tube (2). A circular sample distributor (7) is provided having a circumferential portion and radially extending grooves in conjunction with the channel structures of the tubular sample distributor (3). A circular sample collector (8) is also provided having a circumferential portion and radially extending grooves in conjunction with the channel structures of the tubular sample collector (1). The hollow body (4) is arranged between securing means (5) that provide a sample inlet and outlet in communication with the circular sample distributor (7) and circular sample collector (8), respectively.

Abstract: A porous material is disclosed, made of a semi IPN type polymer alloy of a crosslinked polymer (A) obtained by the crosslinking polymerization of a crosslinking-polymerizable vinyl monomer and/or oligomer (a) with a non-crosslinked polymer (D) which is soluble in a solvent (B) capable of dissolving said monomer and/or oligomer (a) therein and subjecting said crosslinked polymer (A) to gelation but is insoluble in a coagulating solution (C) which is compatible with said solvent (B) but doesn't subject said crosslinked polymer (D) to gelation. A porous material excellent in mechanical strength as well as in heat resistance can be prepared. Various functional groups can be introduced into the surface of the porous material. Further, the pore diameter can be easily controlled.

Abstract: Novel styrene sulfonate-based polymers and cation exchange membranes which are particularly suitable for use in electrodialysis of whey and improved methods for electrodialysis of whey are disclosed.

Abstract: A reverse osmosis composite membrane that has a high salt rejection, a high water permeability, and a high fouling tolerance, and permits practical desalination at a relatively low pressure is provided by coating the surface of a reverse osmosis membrane of aromatic polyamide with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), for example, and controlling the surface zeta potential of the separation layer within±10 mV at pH 6. This reverse osmosis composite membrane is electrically neutral and controls the electrical adsorption of membrane-fouling substances having a charge group present in water. Therefore, a high separation property can be maintained without fouling the membrane even if water containing a surfactant or a transition metal component is supplied as raw water.