Abstract: Composites for destroying chemical and biological agents such as toxins and bacteria, and methods of preparing and using those composites are provided. According to the invention, the substance to be destroyed is contacted with the inventive composites which comprise finely divided metal oxide nanoparticles at least partially coated with carbon. Advantageously, the composites exclude water while not excluding the target compound or adsorbates. The desired metal oxide nanoparticles can be pressed into pellets for use when a powder is not feasible. Preferred metal oxide nanoparticles include MgO, SrO, BaO, CaO, TiO2, ZrO2, FeO, V2O3, V2O5, Mn2O3, Fe2O3, NiO, CuO, Al2O3, SiO2, ZnO, Ag2O, and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: In the field of biomass extraction, there is a need for effective removal of solvent from spent biomass material. An apparatus for removing solvent residues includes a vessel (11) for containing biomass; a steam source (19) for supplying steam to contact the biomass; and a separator (24) for separating solvent from steam that has contacted the biomass. The disclosure includes a method of use of the apparatus.

Abstract: Methods and a device for removing aldehydes from a waste stream are disclosed. In a preferred embodiment, the device provides for and the method uses a chemical or an aminated surface having primary amine functionality resulting from the amination of a support material such as silica.

Abstract: The invention provides processes for treating commercial grade preservatives to remove the off-flavor and/or off-odor from the preservatives. The processes involve preparing a solution by dissolving the preservative in a suitable solvent, such as water or methanol or mixtures thereof. The preservative solution is then passed through a filter to separate and remove organic acid impurities from the preservative. The undesirable tastes and odors, principally caused by the organic acid impurities, are retained in the filter while the preservative passes through the filter. In one embodiment, the filter is a bed of anion exchange resin that reacts with and removes the organic acid impurities. In another embodiment, the filter contains a metal cation that converts the organic acid impurities into insoluble salts which remain in the filter. The solvent can be removed by evaporation after the preservative solution is passed through the filter.

Abstract: A purification process composed of: contacting a contaminated composition including an optional fluid, a polymer, and an impurity with an adsorbent composition including an adsorbent, wherein the adsorbent is selected from the group consisting of an alumina and a magnesium sulfate, wherein a portion of the impurity binds to the adsorbent, wherein the polymer is a polycarbonate, a carbazole, a polyarylate, or a copolyester having the formula where n is the degree of polymerization.

Abstract: A debris recovery device for drainage systems that includes a shaft with a peripheral wall. A basket made out of a meshed material has a spring loaded hingedly mounted bottom wall that is partially opened when it carries a load of a predetermined weight. A peripheral flange rests on the shoulder of the peripheral wall. An oil trap assembly can be optionally added to catch oil spills before reading the drainage system. The oil trap includes a sheet of a porous oil-absorbing material.

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for eliminating organophosphorus compounds contained in a gas or liquid whereby said gas or liquid is contacted with alumina and/or titanium oxide. According to one aspect of the present invention, a process is provided for disposing of a trivalent and/or pentavalent organophosphorus compound which comprises at least one carbon atom and is contained in a liquid. The process comprises contacting the liquid with titanium oxide and/or alumina, the alumina having a specific surface of at least 70 m2/g and a total pore volume of at least 0.3 cm3/g. The alumina and/or titanium dioxide can be doped with alkaline metals, alkaline-earth metals and/or rare earths. The organophosphorus compound can include phosphines, phosphinites, phosphites, phosphonites, phosphinates and phosphonates.

Abstract: A new method for removing HF and related organic fluorides from fluid streams in which the fluoride species exist as impurities and, in particular, from hydrocarbon fluid streams containing no more than about 1.0% by weight total combined fluorides. The method consists of contacting the fluid stream with an adsorbent consisting essentially of activated alumina that has been treated with a promoter material selected from the oxides and phosphates of alkali metals and alkaline earth metals, and mixtures thereof. This is preferably accomplished by providing a suitable absorber vessel charged with the adsorbent to form a fixed bed, and then conducting the fluoride-contaminated fluid through the fixed bed, either in a downflow or an upflow manner.

Abstract: The current invention describes organoclay compositions and methods of using them for removing impurities from contaminated liquids. The compositions are formed by contacting an attapulgite, sepiolite, or zeolite clay mineral with an alkylamine base. The method of use involves contacting the organoclay composition with a contaminated liquid, such as oil in water, allowing the organoclay to absorb the contaminants. The organoclay can be in the form of a granular solid for inline filter applications, or it can be a finely divided powder for other applications.

Abstract: An improved inclusive method for purifying a polar solvent such as water includes the re-suspension of finely divided layered materials within which contaminants have been captured, wherein the re-suspension is in a solvent selected primarily on the basis of its ability to re-suspend the finely divided layered materials and/or for its effect on the included contaminant material, and within which additional materials may or may not be intentionally dissolved, mixed, or suspended, in order to recover and reuse the finely divided layered material and/or to selectively recover a specific included contaminant or several specific included contaminants in series. The process is useful in the rapid and efficient recovery of the finely divided layered materials, and in the removal of suspended particles, dissolved materials, immiscible liquids, and living organisms from the polar solvent.

Abstract: A device and process for injecting a diverted fluid into a simulated moving bed comprises a vessel containing beds of adsorbant Ai separated by plates Pi for distributing and extracting fluids, each plate comprising at least one pannel, each pannel comprising a single chamber Ci for distributing, mixing and/or extracting fluid, and a bypass circuit placing a plate in communication with a bypass line (Li, j). The device also comprises means (14, Voi,j, 20) for bringing at least one chamber (Ci) into communication with at least one bypass line (Li, j); one end of the bypass line is connected with said chamber Ci of a pannel of plate Pi and the other end communicates with a region (Ri+1) of a pannel of the distributor plate Pi+1, said region being distinct from the distribution chamber Ci+1.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method to extract terpenoids in aquatic environments by using a hydrophobic absorbent, thus reducing or eliminating off-flavor in water and aquaculture products which is caused by cyanobacteria-produced terpenoids.

Abstract: A method of chromatographic isolation for non-glyceride components (squalenes, carotenes, vitamin E, sterols and/or the like) from a non-glyceride components-comprising compound by the steps of a. introducing the non-glyceride components-comprising compound onto a selective adsorbent to allow an adsorption of the non-glyceride components, and subsequently b. desorbing the non-glyceride components from the adsorbent, wherein the adsorption and/or desorption of the non-glyceride components is carried out under a supercritical fluid environment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a filtration-detection device for detecting or quantifying an analyte in a test sample including a filtration device having a first binding material immobilized thereto, wherein the first binding material is capable of binding to a portion of the analyte, and a detection assembly positioned relative to the filtration device to detect or quantify analyte bound to the first binding material. The present invention also relates to methods of using the filtration-detection device.

Abstract: A method of integrated resin preconditioning and hydrogen peroxide purification is provided. The method includes preconditioning a resin by washing the resin with deionized water to produce a washed resin, and contacting an effective amount of a preconditioning hydrogen peroxide solution with the washed resin to remove impurities from the washed resin, thereby producing a preconditioned resin.

Abstract: A polymer-micelle complex is disclosed. The polymer-micelle complex includes a micelle having a negative charge. The negatively charged micelle is bound electrostatically to a polymer bearing a positive charge. The complex can be in turn electrostatically bound to a siliceous material so that the complex is immobilized on the siliceous material. In addition, a composition comprising a negatively charged micelle, a positively charged polymer, and an aqueous carrier is disclosed. The aqueous carrier can exhibit salinity. In the composition, the micelle and polymer can electrostatically interact so as to form a polymer-micelle complex (which can either be soluble in the aqueous carrier or in the form of a precipitate or coacervate), or, alternatively, the polymer and micelle can remain separate such that a complex is not formed therebetween.

Abstract: Tetrafluoromethane containing ethylene compound, hydrocarbon compounds, carbon monoxide and/or carbon dioxide is contacted with zeolite having an average pore size of 3.4 to 11 Å and an Si/Al ratio of 1.5 or less and/or a carbonaceous adsorbent having an average pore size of 3.4 to 11 Å. Thus, high-purity tetrafluoromethane can be obtained which is advantageous in industry and provides good profitability.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for separating a lactone-containing high-molecular weight compound having an alkyl group as its side chain from a lactone-containing high-molecular weight compound having an alkenyl group as its side chain by using a sulfonic acid group-containing cation exchange resin pretreated with silver ions.

Abstract: A filter for removing undesired materials from a fluid, such as used cooking oil, for example, includes a filter envelope including first and second panels. The first panel has a permeability which is greater than that of the second panel. The first panel of the filter envelope may be formed from a filter pad and the second panel from a filter paper, and may enclose a metal spacer grid. When the filter is connected to a pump for drawing the oil through the filter, the flow of the oil is directed selectively through the filter pad, whereby undesired materials are removed from the oil. The filter provides for efficient flow of the oil to be filtered while removing undesired materials therefrom.

Abstract: A material having affinity for LTA and/or PrA and/or aHL and/or proteinase is prepared by introducing functional groups capable of hydrogen bond formation into a substrate. Using this material, LTA and/or PrA and/or aHL and/or proteinase in blood, plasma or other solution of high protein concentration can be rapidly detoxified or removed. Articles for LTA and/or PrA and/or aHL and/or proteinase removal of detoxification using this material are described, in particular a body fluid purification column for LTA and/or PrA and/or aHL and/or proteinase removal and an LTA and/or PrA and/or aHL and/or proteinase-adsorptive dressing.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for processing liquid waste solutions containing organic molecules such as organic chemical molecules and biological agents or materials. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of solid phase binders for the removal of organic molecules from liquid waste solutions.

Abstract: A method for removing one or more fluorinated alkenes from a fluid comprises the step of contacting the fluid with an N-, S-, or P-containing nucleophile for a time sufficient to form an N-, S-, or P-containing nucleophile-fluoroalkene adduct. The nucleophile, and therefore the adduct, can be covalently bonded, coated or sorbed to a particulate support which can be enmeshed in a porous, fibrous web.

Abstract: A method for the decontamination of fluid (liquid or supercritical) carbon dioxide fluid, especially of hydrocarbon contaminants, down to ≦100 ppb concentration are described. The critical component is a high silica zeolite, preferably a high silica Y-type zeolite, ZSM-5 or a high silica mordenite, which in a variety of physical forms is capable of decontaminating such fluid CO2 to ≦100 ppb, ≦10-50 ppb, or ˜1 ppb, without being detrimentally affected by the supercritical operating environment. The high silica zeolite may be produced by the removal of alumina from a natural or synthetic zeolite while retaining the desirable zeolite structure, to a silica:alumina ratio of from 20-2000:1. Preferably the zeolite is disposed in separate quantities in at least two vessels, which operate alternately. A portion of the purified product from the operating vessel is directed to the other vessel and there used to remove accumulated contaminants from that vessel's zeolite.

Abstract: The method of the present invention is adapted to manipulate the chemical properties of water in order to improve the effectiveness of a desired process. The method involves heating the water in the vessel to subcritical temperatures between 100° to 374° C. while maintaining sufficient pressure to the water to maintain the water in the liquid state. Various physiochemical properties of the water can be manipulated including polarity, solute solubility, surface tension, viscosity, and the disassociation constant. The method of the present invention has various uses including extracting organics from solids and semisolids such as soil, selectively extracting desired organics from liquids, selectively separating organics using sorbent phases, enhancing reactions by controlling the disassociation constant of water, cleaning waste water, removing organics from water using activated carbon or other suitable sorbents, and degrading various compounds.

Abstract: An adjustable continuous filtration system; a continuous split-stream bypass filtration system; a method for controlling the proportion of a fluid recycled through a filtration system; a method for controlling the proportion of a fluid which is routed to the filter of a filtration system, and the proportion of the fluid which is discharged from the system without passing through the filter; and a method for controlling the quality of cooking fats and cooking oils. The mechanisms for controlling the proportion of fluid routed or recycled to a filter depend on the size or width of orifices in passageways conveying the fluid, including the restriction of one or more of the orifices. A needle valve beneficially provides a continuous range of variation of orifice size. If the quality of cooking fat or cooking oil discharged from the filtration system is below industry standards, the proportion of the cooking fat or cooking oil routed or recycled to the filter is increased.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for removing contaminants from an oily bilgewater. In the method the bilgewater is passed through a fluid-pervious filtration media which has been infused with an absorbtion composition comprising a homogeneous thermal reaction product of an oil component selected from the group consisting of glycerides, fatty acids, alkenes, and alkynes, and a methacrylate or acrylate polymer component. The contaminants are thereby immobilized at said media, and the purified bilgewater having passed through the filtration media is discharged, e.g. into a body of navigable water.

Abstract: A process for removing malodorous elements from silicone dry cleaning solvents, comprising contacting the used silicone solvent with adsorbent to remove the odor, and separating the silicone solvent.

Abstract: A method for the extraction of hydrophobic constituents, such as benzene, toluene, xylene and/or chlorinated hydrocarbons, from an aqueous solution, involving the steps of contacting said solution with a porous, preferably dimensionally stable granular or powdery material, of which the pores have a size of from 0.1 to 50 &mgr;m and contain a hydrophobic substance with affinity for the hydrophobic constituents to be extracted, which granular or powdery material has a particle size of from 0.1 to 10 mm, and is wetted more readily by the hydrophobic substance immobilized in the pores than by the aqueous solution to be treated, and regenerating the product of step a), essentially without the granular or powdery material being freed from the hydrophobic substance, by removal of the hydrophobic constituents.

Abstract: An autocycle method to control a cooling water system comprising the steps of: a) adding a treatment product to said cooling water system, with said treatment product comprising inert tracer and tagged treatment polymer in a set proportion; b) providing a sufficient number of fluorometers, c) using said sufficient number of fluorometers to measure the fluorescent signal of said inert tracer and the fluorescent signal of said tagged treatment polymer in the water from the cooling water system; d) using these measured fluorescent signals from step c) to determine the amount of said tagged treatment polymer present in said cooling water system; e) comparing the amount of said tagged treatment polymer present to the amount of tagged treatment polymer being fed into the system to determine the consumption of said tagged treatment polymer; and f) using said consumption of said tagged treatment polymer to control the concentration cycles of said cooling water system, with the proviso that said control is imple

Abstract: Affinity macroligands (AML) comprising a reversibly water soluble poly-N-alkylacrylamide linked to a ligand, and their use in the separation of a target substance from a mixture comprising the target substance and other materials are disclosed. Preferred AMLs have number average molar masses of less than 7,000 g/mol (chain length n typically about 25), mass distributions of less than 1.2 and narrow precipitation-solubility temperature (NPST) interval, typically in the range of 1-2° C.

Abstract: A method for removal of organic contaminants from solid particulate soil contaminated with the organic contaminants. The method comprises forming an aqueous slurry of a mixture of a hydrophobic adsorbent selected from foamed synthetic materials or natural materials which entrap gas, with the soil in the presence of water. The adsorbent has a density less than water. The slurry is mixed for a period of time, and a gravity separation of the adsorbent from the aqueous admixture thus obtained is effected.

Abstract: The invention provides specific adsorbents and methods for separating an unsaturated hydrocarbon from a mixture containing such hydrocarbon. The adsorbents and methods are useful for separating dienes from mono-olefins.

Abstract: A method for rapid purification of a blood component from blood is described in which the blood plasma is first separated from the cellular blood elements by any conventional means, such as centrifugation. An affinity cartridge is then activated with a molecule, such as an amino acid, which binds with a blood component such as plasminogen. The separated blood plasma is then passed through the affinity cartridge such that the blood component is retained by the affinity cartridge. Thereafter, the blood component is eluted from the affinity cartridge by passing a buffer solution containing a releasing agent through the affinity cartridge. This releasing agent disengages the blood component from the affinity cartridge. The releasing agent is then separated from the eluted solution by passing the eluted solution through a device, such as an ion exchange or size exclusion device. The separated blood component, e.g.

Abstract: A process for treating waste water containing copper and other particles from a chemical mechanical planarization (CMP) process is provided. This process includes adjusting the pH of the waste water to between about 3 and 4, adding a coagulant or flocculating polymer to the waste water to generate larger particles, filtering the waste water through a filtration unit to produce a permeate and solids, feeding the permeate through a carbon bed to remove total organic carbon, and feeding the carbon bed treated permeate through an ion exchange column to remove copper from the permeate. This process may further involve washing sludge collected in a concentration tank with the treated stream exiting the ion exchange column. Still further, another aspect of the present invention is a system for performing the process described above.

Abstract: A process for producing or separating trehalose and/or sugar alcohols from hydrogenated saccharide mixtures containing trehalose and sugar alcohols selected from the group consisting of sorbitol, maltitol, and maltotriitol, which comprises the steps of subjecting hydrogenated saccharide mixtures containing trehalose and the sugar alcohols to column chromatography using strong-acid cation exchange resins, and successively eluting and collecting a trehalose-rich fraction and a sugar alcohol-rich fraction in this order.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of using a protein-polysaccharide complex composition as an adsorbent and filtering aid for in the processing of fluids or solids to absorb or decompose a variety of separable components including halogenated organic compounds such as PCBs and dioxins.

Abstract: The present invention pertains to improved methods for the selective separation of organic components from biological fluids. More particularly, the present invention pertains to methods for the selective separation of organic components from biological fluids which comprise the step of contacting the biological fluid with a synthetic hydrated alkaline earth silicate (i.e., SHAES), such as synthetic hydrated calcium silicate (i.e., SHCS) or synthetic hydrated magnesium silicate (i.e., SHMS). In a preferred embodiment, the present invention pertains to such methods where the biological fluid is a mammalian blood fluid (e.g., whole blood, blood plasma, blood serum, blood fraction, plasma fraction, serum fraction).

Abstract: For the removal of trace quantities of iodine-containing contaminants from corrosive liquid feed streams, an alternative with distinct advantages over the prior art is provided. The treatment method involves the use of a crystalline manganese phosphate which has been cation-exchanged with an iodine-reactive metal. This inorganic adsorbent may be used in unbound form, or it can bound with a substantially insoluble porous inorganic refractory metal oxide binder. A reactivation technique for this material is also presented.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the purification of exhaust air and/or effluents, which may be exhausted, for example, from auto painting units or furniture lacquering units, involving contacting the air and/or effluents with a molded body. The molded body is made from dealuminated zeolite Y and at least one binder, which may be, for example, bentonites, kaolins, sepiolites or attapulgites, and having a hydrophobic factor of from 1.5 to 6.0, wherein a slurry of the binder in water does not exceed a pH of 10 and wherein the molded body is calcined at 850° to 1100° C. The molded body is produced by a process involving mixing pulverulent dealuminated zeolite Y with at least one binder, optionally with the addition of a lubricant and/or a pore former, and optionally with water or an organic solvent, moulding the resulting mass to form a molded body, and drying and calcining the molded bodies.

Abstract: To provide a method for purification of the ionic polymer compound comprising efficiently removing low-molecular impurities, for example, ionic remaining monomers, which are charged identically to the ionic polymer compound from the ionic polymer compound in a shorter period of time. A method for purification of an ionic polymer compound, characterized by removing low-molecular impurities, such as ionic remaining monomers, by the use of an ultrafiltration membrane and/or a reverse osmosis membrane from an aqueous solution containing the ionic polymer compound and low-molecular impurities which are charged identically to the ionic polymer compound, under conditions that a concentration of the ionic polymer compound is from 7 to 20% by weight, and that an amount of charges of the ionic polymer compound in the aqueous solution is 0.30 gram-equivalent/liter or more.

Abstract: A method of purification of physiological liquids of organism has the step of passing a physiological liquid through a material which has a size, a shape, and a structure selected so as to remove toxic compounds from the physiological liquid and is composed of a partially chloromethylated porous highly crosslinked styrene or divinylbenzene copolymer which initially have surface exposed chloromethyl groups in which thereafter chlorine is replaced with an element which forms different surface exposed functional groups with a greater hydrophilicity and greater biocompatibility than that of the chloromethyl group.

Abstract: A process for separating one chiral compound from a mixture of chiral compounds is disclosed. The separation process involves using a chiral stationary phase (CSP) which comprises a chiral organic material deposited on an amorphous silica support having a unimodal distribution of pore sizes in the range of about 300 .ANG. to about 25,000 .ANG. and a surface area of less than about 30 m.sup.2 /g.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for processing liquid waste solutions containing organic molecules such as organic chemical molecules and biological agents or materials. More specifically, the invention relates to the use of solid phase binders for the removal of organic molecules from liquid waste solutions.

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: There are electrically conductive, electroactive functionalized conjugated polymers having formula (I): ##STR1## These electrically conducive, electroactive conjugated polymers may be covalently bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand. Polymers bonded to a first biological molecule or antiligand may be used to form an electrode and may be used to assay for, detect and/or extract a second biological molecule or ligand.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for purifying protein-containing solutions such as blood, blood plasma or cell culture media, where a biocompatible support material made of a plastic material, selected from the group of polyacrylates, polymethacrylates, polysulfone and polyether sulfone, is coated with albumin, which is bound by peptide binding. In addition, the invention relates to a method of producing the support material according to this invention and the use of the device.

Abstract: The subject invention concerns novel means for adsorption of materials from fluids. In a specific example, polymer substrates are modified with dendrimers to facilitate attachment of multiple ligands held at a distance from the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A diffusive sampler comprises a housing with an opening and containing a sorbent, preferably having a barrier between the sorbent and the opening to prevent convection currents but still allowing the exchange of the analyte and the sorbate(s) by diffusion, and at least one sorbate carried by the sorbent. The sorbates will be desorbed when the sampler is exposed to the fluid to provide a check on the apparent duration of the exposure and a correction to the calculation of analyte concentration in the fluid that results from desorption and reverse diffusion. The barrier may be either a fluid-permeable matrix or a fluid gap with a thin, fluid-permeable membrane for blocking convection currents but otherwise admitting fluid and analyte.

Abstract: A peptide comprising at least the following amino acid sequence:Lys Xa1 Phe Lys Arg Ile Val Xa2 Arg Ile Xaa Xa2 Phe Leu Arg Xa2 Leu Val (SEQ ID NO: 1)wherein, Xa1 represents a hydrophobic amino acid residue, each of Xa2 independently represents a hydrophilic amino acid residue, and Xaa represents an arbitrary amino acid residue;an antimicrobial agent, a medicine including a bacterial infection-treating agent and an endotoxin shock suppressant which each comprise the peptide as an active ingredient; and an endotoxin-removing agent comprising the peptide immobilized to an insoluble carrier.

Abstract: A chemical warfare agent decontamination solution made up of about 20% of a quaternary ammonium complex containing benzyltrimethylammoniumchloride and benzyltriethylammonium chloride and about 20% by weight of an oxidizer, dissolved in a solvent, such as water or glycol, is provided. This solution is a noncorrosive, nontoxic, nonflammable decontaminant, which may also be used to neutralize organophosphorus agricultural chemicals.