Abstract: The water filtration system according to the present invention includes a containment vessel(s) in which a filtration matrix is contained. The filtration matrix comprises a plurality of particles on which a regenerative membrane is formed directly on the surface. Through extensive experimentation, it has been found that the conditions suitable for reducing iron and manganese from water entering the vessel can be performed simply by controlling the amount of Fe.sup.3+ and pH in raw water entering the containment vessel. This is true even though the chemical characteristics of the underground water are changing.In one embodiment, the matrix comprises a plurality of polymeric particles selected from particles having specific gravity ranging from about 1.4 to about 2.7. Further, the particles have a nonuniformity coefficient no greater than about 2, and an average particle diameter ranging from about 1.0 mm to about 1.6 mm.

Abstract: A liquid membrane method for removing scale deposits wherein a novel chelating composition is utilized. The composition used in the external and internal aqueous phases of said membrane comprises an aqueous solution having a pH of about 8 to about 14, and a polyaminopolycarboxylic acid chelant. Additionally, a catalyst or synergist is used in the external phase only. Preferred chelants comprise diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), salts, and mixtures thereof. The catalyst used in the external phase comprises an oxalate anion. When the solution containing the composition is contacted with a surface containing a scale deposit, the deposit dissolves substantially more scale quicker then heretofore possible.

Abstract: A liquid membrane method for removing scale deposits wherein a novel chelating composition is utilized. The composition used in the external and internal aqueous phases of said membrane comprises an aqueous solution having a pH of about 8 to about 14, and a polyaminopolycarboxylic acid chelant. Additionally, a catalyst or synergist is used in the external phase only. Preferred chelants comprise diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA) or ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), salts, and mixtures thereof. The catalyst used in the external phase comprises a monocarboxylic acid, preferably a substituted acetic acid such as mercaptoacetic acid, hydroxyacetic acid and aminoacetic acid or an aromatic acid such as salicylic acid. When the solution containing the composition is contacted with a surface containing a scale deposit, the deposit dissolves substantially more scale quicker than heretofore possible.

Abstract: A apparatus and method for separating and purifying chemical species is presented. A supported liquid membrane is oscillated at frequencies sufficient to enhance the molecular diffusion of solute species across the supported liquid membrane.

Abstract: An immobilized liquid membrane is employed to allow use of a product-extracting solvent which is normally toxic toward a cell layer which produces the product in a membrane-moderated biological reaction.

Abstract: An emulsion-forming composition for forming an emulsion for use in a process for selectively recovering germanium or arsenic from an aqueous solution thereof by liquid membrane technology is disclosed, said composition consisting essentially of: a solvent mixture consisting essentially of specified amounts of a hydrocarbon which is a predominantly straight-chain saturated C.sub.16 -C.sub.20 hydrocarbon or kerosine, a mononuclear aromatic hydrocarbon (pref. xylene), and a halogenated C.sub.1 -C.sub.5 hydrocarbon (pref. CCl.sub.4); and more than 0.1% by weight of an oil-soluble polyisobutylene-succinic anhydride/polyamine condensation product.

Abstract: A method of removing organic phosphorus-based poisonous substances from water contaminated therewith and of subsequently destroying the toxicity of the substance is disclosed. Initially, a water-immiscible organic is immobilized on a supported liquid membrane. Thereafter, the contaminated water is contacted with one side of the supported liquid membrane to selectively dissolve the phosphorus-based substance in the organic extractant. At the same time, the other side of the supported liquid membrane is contacted with a hydroxy-affording strong base to react the phosphorus-based substance dissolved by the organic extractant with a hydroxy ion. This forms a non-toxic reaction product in the base. The organic extractant can be a water-insoluble trialkyl amine, such as trilauryl amine. The phosphorus-based substance can be phosphoryl or a thiophosphoryl.

Abstract: A process for removing and recovering a dissolved substance, either acid or a base, from an aqueous feedstream. The feedstream is contacted with an aqueous dispersed phase containing liquid membrane emulsion which removes the dissolved substance to the degree desired from the feedstream and absorbs it into the liquid membrane emulsion. The aqueous dispersed phase of the emulsion comprises a reagent which reacts with the dissolved substance by neutralization, allowing the dissolved substance to accumulate to a significant concentration in the emulsion before the spent emulsion is separated from the treated feed and coalesced into a membrane and a spent aqueous internal reagent phases. The spent aqueous internal reagent phase is subjected to electrolysis in a bipolar membrane cell which regenerates the dispersed reagent loaded internal aqueous phase in a composition suitable for recycle to emulsification and further feedstream treatment.

Abstract: A process for extracting germanium and/or arsenic from an aqueous solution is described. In order to increase the yield and to perform a highly specific separating process, the liquid membrane technology is employed, in which the starting solution is adjusted by means of hydrochloric acid to a concentration in excess of 6 and up to 10 moles HCl/1, a polyisobutylenesuccinic anhydride/polyamine condensation product is used as a surfactant in the organic outer phase of the liquid membrane emulsion is adjusted to a pH value from 0 to 14 while a supply of chlorine ions is precluded.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method for improving the performance of liquid membrane separations by coating a liquid membrane onto solid ion-exchange resin beads in a fixed bed. Ion-exchange beads fabricated from an ion-exchange resin are swelled with water and are coated with a liquid membrane material that forms a film over the beads. The beads constitute a fixed bed ion-exchange column. Fluid being treated that contains the desired ion to be trapped by the ion-exchange particle is passed through the column. A carrier molecule, contained in the liquid membrane ion-exchange material, is selective for the desired ion in the fluid. The carrier molecule forms a complex with the desired ion, transporting it through the membrane and thus separating it from the other ions. The solution is fed continuously until breakthrough occurs at which time the ion is recovered, and the bed is regenerated.

Abstract: Aqueous nitric solutions of salts of at least one rare earth, and containing contaminating amounts of at least one alkaline earth cation, e.g., calcium, barium and/or radium, are conveniently purified by liquid/liquid extracting same with an organic phase which comprises a polyether extractant for said at least one alkaline earth cation, e.g., a crown ether, and whereby said at least one alkaline earth cation is selectively transferred into said organic phase.

Abstract: Quaternary ammonium salts are disclosed which are highly effective as complexing agents for the extraction of hydrogen ion and anions such as nitrate from an aqueous feed solution via a coupled ion transport mechanism employing supported liquid membranes.

Abstract: A process for maintaining a charging medium in a microporous molded article for carrying out material transfer processes is described. A charging medium is supplied or presented to the molded article while the material transfer processes are being carried out. This supply takes place on a part of the surface of the molded article which does not participate in the material transfer process. The molded articles are preferably membranes. The process compensates for a loss of medium in the pores of the molded article without requiring the material transfer process to be interrupted.An apparatus suitable for carrying out the process is also described.The process may advantageously be used inter alia for controlled release or slow release processes and processes for facilitated or coupled transport of metal ions.

Abstract: In case where a surface active agent is contained in waste water, it is extremely difficult to remove the surface active agent, and the present invention has previously found that the surface active agent is oriented and adsorbed in the periphery of colloidal particles, by making use of the fact that an association property exhibits when a concentration exceeds a micel concentration, whereby the periphery of the particles are partly made to increase the concentration to a level above the micel concentration to adsorb and remove the surface active agent in the waste water. The treating agent for that purpose is produced by emulsifying oil, montmorillonite and the like and adsorbing soda of fatty acid or potash salt thereto.

Abstract: The invention describes a new separation technique which leads to multi-stage operations by the use of a series (a cascade) of alternated carrier-containing supported-liquid membranes. The membranes contain alternatively a liquid cation exchanger extractant and a liquid anion exchanger extractant (or a neutral extractant) as carrier. The membranes are spaced between alternated aqueous electrolytic solutions of different composition which alternatively provide positively charged extractable species and negatively charged (or zero charged) extractable species, of the chemical species to be separated. The alternated aqueous electrolytic solutions in addition to providing the driving force to the process, simultaneously function as a stripping solution from one type of membrane and as an extraction-promoting solution for the other type of membrane.

Abstract: Liquid-liquid extraction of a substance from an aqueous solution thereof, which consists in preparing a microemulsion of this solution with a hydrophobic liquid in such a way that the layer of microemulsion is accompanied by a layer of consumed aqueous solution and a layer of hydrophobic liquid containing the substance to be extracted.

Abstract: Extraction of a metal compound from an aqueous solution by means of a hydrophobic liquid, with the production of a microemulsion; the aqueous solution has a pH of about 0.5 to 8; the surfactant employed for formation of the microemulsion is nonionic or anionic.

Abstract: Contaminating basic gases, i.e., ammonia, and acid gases, e.g., carbon dioxide, are removed from process waters or waste waters in a combined extraction and stripping process. Ammonia in the form of ammonium ion is extracted by an immiscible organic phase comprising a liquid cation exchange component, especially an organic phosphoric acid derivative, and preferably di-2-ethyl hexyl phosphoric acid, dissolved in an alkyl hydrocarbon, aryl hydrocarbon, higher alcohol, oxygenated hydrocarbon, halogenated hydrocarbon, and mixtures thereof. Concurrently, the acidic gaseous contaminants are stripped from the process or waste waters by stripping with steam, air, nitrogen, or the like. The liquid cation exchange component has the ammonia stripped therefrom by heating, and the component may be recycled to extract additional amounts of ammonia.

Abstract: Bis-crown-ether derivatives having such configuration that the two crown rings may easily overlap spatially, holding a potassium or the like ion between them, and ion-selective membranes used for said bis-crown-ether derivatives as neutral carrier, which are useful as an ion sensor and are superior to the ion-selective membrane containing valinomycin.

Abstract: A process of recovering cesium ions from mixtures of ions containing them and other ions, e.g., a solution of nuclear waste materials, which comprises establishing a separate source phase containing such a mixture of ions, establishing a separate recipient phase, establishing a liquid membrane phase in interfacial contact with said source and recipient phases, said membrane phase containing a ligand, preferably a selected calixarene as depicted in the drawing, maintaining said interfacial contact for a period of time long enough to transport by said ligand a substantial portion of the cesium ion from the source phase to the recipient phase, and recovering the cesium ion from the recipient phase. The separation of the source and recipient phases may be by the membrane phase only, e.g., where these aqueous phases are emulsified as dispersed phases in a continuous membrane phase, or may include a physical barrier as well, e.g.

Abstract: A stable molecular aggregate having an ordered structure comprising a surfactant containing a hydrophilic moiety and hydrophobic moiety and having in the hydrophobic moiety or between the hydrophobic moiety and the hydrophilic moiety a rigid moiety at least 10 .ANG. long is disclosed. The structure, unlike the spherical micelle formed by an ordinary surfactant in water or the loose lamellar micelle formed by a soap in a high concentration, is stable and durable in low concentrations, keeping a high degree of regularity. The structure has primarily a bilayer structure as a basic structural unit.

Abstract: Use of succinosuccinic acid diesters of the formula ##STR1## in which R is an alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl having 4 to 24 C atoms, either dissolved in a water-immiscible organic solvent, or at elevated temperature in the form of their melts, as cation-selective liquid membranes.

Abstract: Use of succinosuccinic acid diesters of the formula ##STR1## in which R is an alkyl, alkenyl or cycloalkyl having 4 to 24 C atoms, either dissolved in a water-immiscible organic solvent, or at elevated temperature in the form of their melts, as cation-selective liquid membranes.

Abstract: This invention relates to a process for the removal of dissolved species from aqueous solutions, which comprises contacting said aqueous solution with an emulsion, said emulsion comprising an exterior phase which is characterized as being immiscible with said aqueous solution and yet permeable to said dissolved species, and an interior phase which contains a reactant capable of converting said dissolved species to a nonpermeable form. The dissolved species permeate the exterior phase, into the interior phase where they are converted into nonpermeable forms and thus retained in the interior phase of said emulsion. The aqueous solution, depleted in said dissolved species, is separated from said emulsion and the emulsion cycled for reuse. In one preferred embodiment said dissolved species are ions, and an ion exchange compound is incorporated in the exterior phase of the emulsion, to promote the permeation of said ions through the exterior phase.

Abstract: In a liquid membrane process for removing ions from solution which comprises contacting a feed solution containing a first ion with an emulsion, said emulsion comprising an external phase which is immiscible with said solution and contains a complexing agent, said complexing agent being capable of forming a first complex with said first ion, which is soluble in said external phase, and an internal phase, the improvement which comprises providing a second ion, in the internal phase, of the emulsion, said second ion being capable of converting said first complex to a second complex by replacing said first ion in said first complex, said second complex being also soluble in said external phase, whereby the first ion diffuses from said solution into said internal phase, and said second ion diffuses from said internal phase into said solution.

Abstract: A liquid membrane process for removing ions from solution which comprises contacting a solution containing a first ion and a second ion with an emulsion, said emulsion comprising an external phase which is immiscible with said solution and contains a first complexing agent, and a second complexing agent, said first complexing agent being capable of forming a first complex with said first ion, and said second complexing agent being capable of forming a second complex with said second ion, both of said complexes being soluble in said external phase, and an internal phase, which comprises a (1) decomplexing agent, said decomplexing agent being capable of converting said first complex into said first complexing agent and said first ion and (2) an inhibiting agent which is capable of inhibiting the formation of said first complex, whereby the first ion diffuses from said solution into said internal phase, and said second ion diffuses from said solution into said external phase.

Abstract: A liquid membrane technique is disclosed for recovery of dissolved species from aqueous solutions thereof in which, by appropriate tailoring of the emulsion, electrostatic precipitation can be used successfully in the recovery of the species from the interior phase of the emulsion. The emulsion is so prepared that the droplet size of the interior phase of the emulsion is in the range of from about 0.3 micrometers to about 10 micrometers, with the majority of the droplets lying in the range of from about 0.8 micrometers to about 3 micrometers. The electrostatic field is preferably at least 1 kilovolt per centimeter up to 7.5 kilovolts per centimeter or more.

Abstract: A process for transfer by extraction, of at least one species from a fluid phase to a first liquid phase receptive to such species, comprises intimately contacting the fluid phase with an emulsion of the first liquid phase in a second liquid phase which is permeable with respect to such species and substantially immiscible in the first liquid phase. The emulsion is stabilized by the second liquid phase containing at least one substantially insoluble particulate solid which is substantially non-reactive to constituents contained in each of such phases in an amount sufficient to form a stable emulsion. Transfer of the species is from the fluid phase through the second solids--containing liquid phase to the first liquid phase.In one embodiment, the first liquid phase is lean with respect to the species to be extracted. In another embodiment, mass action is utilized to maintain a driving force by counter-transport of a different ion.

Abstract: This invention relates to emulsions containing a polyamine derivative as the sole surfactant and strengthening agent. The emulsions comprise an aqueous interior phase surrounded by an oily exterior phase which contains a polyamine derivative having the general formula: ##STR1## wherein n for the polyisobutylene portion varies from 10 to 60, x varies from 3 to 10, and y is selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, hydrogen-containing nitrogen radicals, hydrogen and oxygen-containing nitrogen radicals, and alkyl radicals having up to 10 carbons, alkyl radicals having up to 10 carbons which contain nitrogen, oxygen or both, and mixtures of said polyamine derivatives.

Abstract: The instant invention relates to liquid membrane capsule system (LMCS) which are made resistant to coalescence by means of an irreversible coating material present in the suspension phase. LMCS having this irreversible coating material are stable (i.e. resist coalescence) over relatively long periods of time with little or no applied agitation. These irreversibly coated LMCS can be pumped for long periods, are resistant to bile, pancreatin and solid matter and maintain their initial size distribution.The instant invention relates to methods of preparing the irreversibly coated LMCS.The LMCS of the instant invention exhibit resistance to rupture during pumping and passage over packing materials, such as glass beads or charcoal, thus making them of use in medical treatment processes such as renal dialysis and in the equipment used for such processes.

Abstract: An apparatus and method are disclosed for effecting liquid-liquid contact. An aqueous medium and an organic hydrophobic liquid medium are fed to a mixing chamber in which a "primary" dispersion, capable of disengaging sustantially completely into two separate layers on standing under gravity, is formed by suitable mixing means. Dispersion is allowed to flow upwardly and downwardly from the mixing chamber into upper and lower baffled zones positioned immediately above and below the mixing chamber respectively. Disengaged lighter medium is allowed to collect in an upper chamber above and communicating with the upper baffled zone, while disengaged heavier medium is allowed to collect in a lower chamber below and communicating with the lower baffled zone. Heavier medium is allowed to return to the mixing chamber from the upper baffled zone and lighter medium from the lower baffled zone.