Material compositions have multifunctionality in abatement of water pollution: They are capable of removing hydrocarbons along with various types of other pollutants, such as metals and metal oxides, and phosphates and other organic material, from water streams. In certain embodiments, the multifunctional compositions are comprised of biochar particles, activated carbon particles, or metal (or metal oxide) nanoparticles bound to a cellulosic or other organic matrix material, which are adhered to styrene-butadiene-styrene granules embedded in an M-Class rubber matrix. Methods of synthesis of the multifunctional compositions and products, including filter cartridges and filters, that use such compositions are also disclosed.

Disclosed is a method for preparing an insoluble polyaniline complex with antimicrobial activity and heavy metal removal efficiency that involves doping a porous nonconductive polyaniline emeraldine base with an organic acid to impart conductivity and then with a metal ion to render the metal ion attached to the surface of the conductive polymer, and a polyaniline complex prepared from the preparation method, which polyaniline complex is excellent in the ability to adsorb and/or eliminate bacteria and other microbes and to remove heavy metals and hence available in any of various applications for antimicrobial activity and heavy metal removal, including filters for water purifier, automobile or household air conditioner, gas masks, water and sewage treatment system, air purifier, cleanroom, etc.

A superabsorbent polymer composition includes superabsorbent polymer particles, having a crosslinked polymer of water-soluble ethylenically unsaturated monomers including acid groups, of which at least a part are neutralized; and a particulate antimicrobial agent having a quaternary ammonium salt of a silane-based compound. The superabsorbent polymer composition exhibits improved antimicrobial and deodorizing properties without deterioration of the superabsorbent polymer properties such as centrifugal retention capacity.

An ambient humidity control article for controlling ambient humidity within 55%-68%. The article includes a substrate having a predetermined water absorbability, and a humidity control layer coated on the substrate and made up of a humidity control composition. The amount of the composition coated on per cubic centimeter of the substrate is 0.54-0.74 grams. The composition includes water and at least one of citrate, lactate and formate. The citrate is at least one of sodium citrate, potassium citrate and calcium citrate. The lactate is at least one of sodium lactate and potassium lactate. The formate is at least one of sodium formate and potassium formate. The weight percentage of each of the citrate, lactate and formate in the composition is 33.3%-84.2%. The water absorption amount of the substrate is not less than 0.5 grams per cubic centimeter.

An ambient humidity control article for controlling the ambient humidity within 45%-55%. The article includes a substrate having a predetermined water absorbability, and a humidity control layer coated on the substrate. The amount of the composition coated on per cubic centimeter of the substrate is 0.54-0.74 grams. The composition includes at least one organic acid salt, at least one polyol and water. The count of carbon in the polyols is not greater than 5. The weight percentage of the organic acid salt and the polyols in the composition is 30.6%-58.8% and 9.3%-26.7%, respectively. The water absorption amount of the substrate is not less than 0.5 grams per cubic centimeter. The article can control the ambient humidity without the need to pre-adjust the objective space. The article has a large capacity of moisture absorption and desorption, and can quickly achieve the desired humidity.

Disclosed are methods to remove organic and/or inorganic compounds (e.g., contaminants) from water containing organic and/or inorganic compounds, involving contacting the water with an effective organic and/or inorganic compounds removing amount of hemoglobin/Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 composite where the compounds in the water adsorb onto the hemoglobin/Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 composite, and removing (e.g., using a magnet since the composite is magnetic) the hemoglobin/Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 composite from the water.

Disclosed are amorphous nanostructure and methods of making amorphous nanostructure. The amorphous nanostructure has a transition metal and a halogen element in the main chain, and the transition metal has an oxidation number of +1. In addition, the inorganic polymer forming the amorphous nanostructure forms hydrogen bonding with an adjacent inorganic polymer. The side chain of the inorganic polymer for hydrogen bonding has hydrogen and elements for hydrogen bonding. Through this, various characteristics can be confirmed.

The molecule detecting apparatus of an embodiment includes a light source 31, a fluorescent layer 42 emitting different fluorescence depending on the kind of a target molecule 60 captured when being irradiated with light from the light source 31, a photodetector 32 configured to detect fluorescence, and the photodetector 32 is an array of avalanche photodiodes operating in Geiger mode.

Processes, compositions, and sensors for sensing a variety of toxic chemicals based on colorimetric changes. Exemplary process for sensing a toxic chemical includes contacting a toxic chemical, or byproduct thereof, with a sorbent that includes a porous metal hydroxide or a porous mixed-metal oxide/hydroxide and a transition metal reactant suitable to react with a toxic chemical or byproduct thereof. The sorbent is contacted with the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof for a sampling time. A difference between a post-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent and a pre-exposure colorimetric state of the sorbent is determined to thereby detect exposure to, or the presence of, the toxic chemical or byproduct thereof.

Yttria containing hybrid organic-inorganic sol-gels may be used in coatings for capillary microextraction, optionally hyphenated to online HPLC analysis. The sol-gel reaction mixture can use an yttrium trialkoxyalkoxide, such as yttrium trimethoxyethoxide, and a [bis(hydroxyalkyl)-amino-alkyl]-terminated polydialkyl/arylsiloxane, such as [bis(hydroxyethyl)-amine] (BHEA)-terminated polydimethylsiloxane, that can undergo hydrolysis and polycondensation, to form coating materials. Capillaries coated with such sol-gels can have improved extraction efficiency compared, e.g., to pure yttria-based coatings. The CME-HPLC can analyze water samples containing analytes of varied polarity, with excellent extraction of amides, phenols, alcohols, ketones, aldehydes, and polyaromatic hydrocarbons and detection limits ranging from 0.18 to 7.35 ng/mL (S/N=3). Such capillaries can exhibit solvent stability at pH 0 to 14, RSD % between 0.6 to 6.8% (n=3), at a preparative reproducibility RSD between 4.1 and 9.9%.