This application relates to a sweetening composition and a preparation method and use thereof. The method includes steps of obtaining mesophyll fragments of Rubus suavissimus S. Lee, extracting with water as a solvent, removing phenolic hydroxyl-containing components, concentrating, purifying, and water-phase crystallization to obtain a sweetening composition. The sweetening composition is white in color, with unobvious bitterness astringent taste. The sweetening composition contains 50% to 99% of Rubusoside based on a dry weight, and has an absorbance of less than 0.4 at a wavelength of 270 to 370 nm after being dissolved and prepared into an aqueous solution (with a solid content of 1%, w/w). By removing bitter glycosides and phenolic hydroxyl-containing components, this application makes the flavor of the sweetening composition better. In the preparation process of the sweetening composition of the this application, only purified water is used and no organic solvents are used.

Disclosed is a membrane humidifier for a fuel cell, which can prevent, without a separate gas filtering device, performance deterioration of a fuel cell due to harmful gases during a humidifying process. The humidifier for a fuel cell, according to the present invention, comprises: a housing unit comprising a first fluid inlet via which a first fluid flows in, a first fluid outlet via which the first fluid flows out, a second fluid inlet via which a second fluid flows in, and a second fluid outlet via which the second fluid flows out, wherein the humidity of the first fluid flowing in via the first fluid inlet is different from the humidity of the second fluid flowing in via the second fluid inlet; at least one first cartridge which is installed inside the housing unit, and in which a plurality of hollow fiber membranes are accommodated; and a gas filter which is provided inside the first cartridge or between the inner circumferential surface of the housing unit and the first cartridge so as to be able to collect harmful gases contained in the first fluid and/or the second fluid, and which has a different shape from the hollow fiber membranes.

The disclosure describes a method of purifying a self-healing fluid (SHF) comprising a drying oil and dielectric fluid. The method comprises (a) filtering the SHF through an absorbent material; and (b) subsequently filtering the SHF through a micropore filter system.

Provided are methods of extracting lithium from a lithium containing solution, as well as the resulting compositions. The method includes supplying a lithium containing solution to a lithium capture step, the lithium capture step being operable to capture lithium from the lithium salt containing solution. The method further includes recovering lithium from the lithium capture step to produce a lithium rich stream. In especially preferred methods, the lithium capture step is performed to increase the lithium to sodium ratio above at least 1:1. Optionally, the lithium rich stream can be purified to remove divalent ions and borate ions. The lithium rich stream is then concentrated by supplying the lithium rich stream to a reverse osmosis step to produce a concentrated lithium rich stream.

Provided are methods of extracting lithium from a lithium containing solution, as well as the resulting compositions. The method includes supplying a lithium containing solution to a lithium capture step, the lithium capture step being operable to capture lithium from the lithium salt containing solution. The method further includes recovering lithium from the lithium capture step to produce a lithium rich stream. In especially preferred methods, the lithium capture step is performed to increase the lithium to sodium ratio above at least 1:1. Optionally, the lithium rich stream can be purified to remove divalent ions and borate ions. The lithium rich stream is then concentrated by supplying the lithium rich stream to a reverse osmosis step to produce a concentrated lithium rich stream.

Methods and devices for rapidly separating pathogen from a test sample, such as a food sample, for efficient detection of pathogen are disclosed. A simultaneous microfiltration and elutriation approach was used to separate pathogen, such as bacterial cells, from a test sample, such a food sample.

This disclosure provides an integrated system and method for producing purified water, hydrogen, and oxygen from contaminated water. The contaminated water may be derived from regolith-based resources on the moon, Mars, near-Earth asteroids, or other destination in outer space. The integrated system and method utilize a cold trap to receive the contaminated water in a vapor phase and selectively freeze out water from one or more volatiles. A heat source increases temperature in the cold trap to vaporize the frozen contaminated water to produce a gas stream of water vapor and volatiles. A chemical scrubber may remove one or more volatiles. The integrated system and method utilize ionomer membrane technology to separate the water vapor from remaining volatiles. The water vapor is delivered for crew use or delivered to an electrolyzer to produce hydrogen and oxygen.

Systems and methods used to control tangential flow filtration are provided, including control systems and methods for use with connected systems with upstream processing units, such as chromatography processing units, in fluid communication with a tangential flow filtration processing unit. Also included are control systems and methods for performing continuous concentration using single-pass tangential flow filtration with permeate flow control.

Systems and methods used to control tangential flow filtration are provided, including control systems and methods for use with connected systems with upstream processing units, such as chromatography processing units, in fluid communication with a tangential flow filtration processing unit. Also included are control systems and methods for performing continuous concentration using single-pass tangential flow filtration with permeate flow control.

A system for producing steam includes a source of superheated water with superheated water output; a membrane filtration system in fluid communication with the superheated water output and including a membrane filter with a permeate side and an opposing retentate side. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject organic molecules. The system may be used for removing organic compounds, such as anti-corrosion agents or contaminants, from superheated water to produce steam. A method for producing steam includes directing a cross-flow of heated pressurized water including a first concentration of an organic compound across a membrane filter. The membrane filter includes a separation membrane constructed to reject the organic compound; and one or more support layers adjacent the separation membrane. A steam permeate including a second concentration of the organic compound is collected, where the second concentration is lower than the first.