An extraction system and method of extraction are described herein. The extraction system generally includes an extraction vessel including a vessel body, an extraction solvent inlet, a material inlet, and an outlet, a collection vessel operably connected to the outlet, a dispersion devise disposed proximate the extraction solvent inlet and including a first surface and a second surface, a plurality of openings formed in the dispersion device and extending from the first surface to the second surface, whereby the plurality of openings are adapted for the flow of an extraction solvent therethough.

A method and system for performing biomolecule extraction are provided that use liquid-to-liquid extraction (LLE) in combination with an electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device to provide a biomolecule extraction solution that has high extraction efficiency and that is less costly and easier to use than current state of the art methods and systems. The system and method are well suited for, but not limited to, extraction of DNA, RNA and protein molecules.

The invention provides a process for the separation of MEG and 1,2-BDO from a first mixture comprising MEG and 1,2-BDO in a first solvent by the steps of: (i) combining said first mixture with a second solvent stream comprising a second solvent in a first extraction column; (ii) recovering (a) a second mixture of MEG and 1,2-BDO in the second solvent, wherein the molar ratio of MEG:1,2-BDO is lower in the second mixture than in the first mixture; and (b) a solution comprising MEG in the first solvent; (iii) combining said second mixture with a first washing stream, said first washing stream also comprising the first solvent in a second extraction column; (iv) recovering (c) a first extract stream comprising the second solvent and 1,2-BDO and (d) a third mixture comprising MEG and, optionally, 1,2-BDO in the first solvent.

A sample purification system includes a mixing zone; a settling zone in fluid communication with the mixing zone; a mixer element disposed in the mixing zone, the mixer element being configured to mix immiscible liquids to form a mixture; and a first acoustic wave settler configured to emit an acoustic wave into the mixture.

Provided are an extraction agent and extraction method that selectively extract and, at a low cost, recover gallium from an acidic solution containing gallium and zinc. The gallium extraction agent comprises an amide derivative represented by general formula (I). In the formula, R.sup.1 and R.sup.2 each indicate the same or different alkyl group, R.sup.3 indicates a hydrogen atom or an alkyl group, and R.sup.4 indicates a hydrogen atom or any given group, other than an amino group, bonded to the α-carbon as an amino acid. The general formula preferably has a glycine unit, a histidine unit, a lysine unit, an aspartic acid unit, or an N-methylglycine unit. By extracting gallium from an acidic solution containing gallium and zinc by means of solvent extraction using the extraction agent, it is possible to selectively extract gallium.

A method to produce a brine from mixed alum salts, the method comprising the steps of: (i) Dissolving or pulping alum salts (1) containing rubidium alum, cesium alum and/or potassium alum in water or a recycled liquor and adding a neutralising agent to precipitate (20) aluminium as aluminium hydroxide and some sulfate; (ii) Passing the product of step (i) to a solid liquid separation stage (21) to remove precipitated solids (5) from step (i); (iii) A decant or filtrate (6) from step (ii) is passed to a solvent extraction stage (24-27) whereby any contained cesium and rubidium is selectively extracted into the organic phase to form a loaded organic solution (16); (iv) Contacting the loaded organic solution (16) of step (iii) with a scrub solution (17), which is at a pH lower than the extraction pH, to effectively scrub co-loaded potassium from the organic phase; (v) Contacting the scrubbed organic (19) of step (iv) with formic acid (20) to strip cesium and rubidium from the organic, the stripped cesium and rubidium forming a cesium and/or rubidium sulfate brine (21); and (vi) Recycling the stripped organic (22) of step (v) to the extraction stage (24-27).

A method for modifying the composition of essential oils to be used as such or as ingredients for flavour and fragrance formulations, the process using carbon dioxide and suitable solvents in combination with specific supports; Flavours and fragrances containing ingredients produced by the method and applications using the flavours and fragrances.

A method of recovering an alcohol from an aqueous stream comprising: providing an aqueous stream comprising an alcohol; extracting at least a portion of the alcohol from the aqueous stream with a solvent to form an extracted solvent stream; extracting at least a portion of the solvent from the extracted solvent stream to form an extracted aqueous stream; and recovering at least a portion of the alcohol from the extracted aqueous stream.

A method of recovering an alcohol from an aqueous stream comprising: providing an aqueous stream comprising an alcohol; extracting at least a portion of the alcohol from the aqueous stream with a solvent to form an extracted solvent stream; extracting at least a portion of the solvent from the extracted solvent stream to form an extracted aqueous stream; and recovering at least a portion of the alcohol from the extracted aqueous stream.

A dispersed mobile-phase countercurrent chromatography system is described in which solutes are carried by a stream of dispersed mobile phase solvent through a column, or array of serially-connected columns, of stationary phase solvent with which the mobile phase solvent is immiscible. Solutes carried along by the stream of dispersed mobile-phase solvent will be equilibrated between the mobile-phase solvent and the stationary-phase solvent. Because the mobile-phase is dispersed into mini-droplets much smaller in diameter than the column of stationary phase, the enhanced surface/volume ratio of the droplets expedites countercurrent equilibration of different solutes between the mobile-phase solvent and the stationary-phase solvent in accordance with the distribution-coefficients of the solutes between the two solvents. As a result, a solute with a distribution coefficient that favors its dissolving in the stationary phase will be retarded in its migration through the columns compared to a solute with a distribution coefficient that favors its dissolving in the mobile phase. The different migration rates of different solutes bring about their chromatographic separation on the columns, effectively combining the advantages of countercurrent distribution (e.g., elimination of any solid chromatographic matrix, and therefore losses of solutes due to adsorption to the solid matrix and contamination of separated solutes by impurities leached from the solid matrix) and liquid column chromatography (e.g., continuous mode of operation, and scalable from analytical to large industrial separations without any centrifugal or discontinuous mechanical steps).