The present invention teaches an absorbent material with powdered activated carbon which is substantially light-colored without using color masking agents or hiding. This invention addresses the need in the field for an absorbent material with improved odor-controlling properties, that maintains such properties for longer periods of time and where the absorbent material maintains a light-colored appearance without the addition of color-masking agents. Suitable methods for creating the absorbent materials include a pan agglomeration process, a high shear agglomeration process, a low shear agglomeration process, a high pressure agglomeration process, a low pressure agglomeration process, a rotary drum agglomeration process, a pan agglomeration process, a roll press compaction process, a pin mixer process, a dry blending process, a spray coating process, an extrusion process, a pelletizing process and a fluid bed process.

An example article includes a substrate and a coating applied to the substrate. The coating includes a stabilizer and an organic phosphonic acid reactant. In an example article, the coating includes a water-soluble polymer and an organic phosphate or phosphonate reactant. An example coating configured to be applied to a basic gas filter substrate includes a water-soluble polymer and an organic phosphate or phosphonate reactant. An example technique includes applying a coating to a substrate and heating at least the coating to a temperature between about 100? C. and about 275? C. for about 1 minute to about 10 minutes. An example system includes a basic gas filter including a coating, and a sensor configured to sense an optical change in the coating.

A process for manufacturing particles of water-absorbing material is provided. The process includes providing a powder bed composed of an absorptive powder comprising a water-absorbing polysaccharide onto a surface; releasing an aqueous solution from a solution dispenser so as to contact the powder bed, 5 thereby forming a solution-impregnated humid material; letting the solution-impregnated humid material agglomerate in substantially shear-less conditions to form an agglomerated humid material, the solution-impregnated humid material being supported by the surface; and drying the agglomerated humid material, thereby forming the particles.

A toilet apparatus has a waste material receiving bowl with an opening to receive an absorbent media and indicator and a sensor to detect a presence of the indicator in the material receiving bowl when the indicator is present in the material receiving bowl and transmit a signal indicating the indicator is present in the material receiving bowl. A control circuit receives the signal from the sensor, processes the signal to determine the indicator is present in the material receiving bowl, and causes one or more actions to be taken by the toilet apparatus based on determining the indicator is present in the material receiving bowl.

The invention provides a solid material for air purification and disinfection and a preparation method and application thereof. The solid material includes: 50-60 wt. % of inorganic porous materials, 10-20 wt. % of nano titanium dioxide, 3-5 wt. % of fluorescent materials, 20-30 wt. % of sodium chlorite, 3-5 wt. % of sodium lignosulfonate, 1-10 wt. % of polyethylene glycol, and 1-10 wt. % of polyvinyl alcohol. The method for preparing the solid material includes: formulating the fluorescent material into a slurry by using a polyethylene glycol aqueous solution; uniformly mixing the nano titanium dioxide, the sodium lignosulfonate, and the fluorescent material formulated into the slurry, and then spraying the mixture on an inorganic porous material carrier to be uniformly adsorbed; and mixing the sodium chlorite with the above mixture for granulation to obtain the product. The solid material for air purification of the invention can be stored stably for a long time, and chlorine dioxide gas slowly released can degrade harmful substances in the air such as formaldehyde and kill bacteria in the air.

A pollution removal composition includes: (a) at least one silica gel; and (b) at least one wood-derived absorbent agent, characterized in that the silica gel has a grain-size distribution of between 60 and 500 ym and a density of between 150 and 400 kg/m.sup.3. A pollution removal method using the composition is also described.

Compositions, systems and methods of removing ammonia from fish storage systems are presented. A chemical water conditioner comprised of sodium formaldehyde bisulfite, cornstarch, dye and alcohol was found to have a high ammonia removal efficiency in seawater. A combination of this chemical water conditioner with modified chabazite and phosphate buffer exhibited high ammonia removal efficiency in both seawater and freshwater.

A chromogenic absorbent material for an animal litter includes an oxidizing agent responsive to peroxidatic/pseudoperoxidatic activity in an animal excretion or a first catalytic compound generating the oxidizing agent in situ. The material also includes a chromogenic indicator being chromogenically responsive to the oxidizing activity of the oxidizing agent, and an absorptive material which is porous, for absorbing the animal excretion. The absorptive material includes a water-absorbing polysaccharide providing absorptive properties to the chromogenic absorbent material; and may also include a second polysaccharide and a superabsorbent polymer. The material may be obtained in the form of particles having a low density and a high porosity and is usable in conjunction with an animal litter for detecting various diseases in animals.

A sorbent based monitoring system for measuring the solute concentration of at least one component of a fluid. The system has a sorbent regeneration system for regeneration of the fluid and has a sorbent cartridge that has at least one material layer. The fluid is conveyed through the sorbent cartridge and contacts at least one sensor after having contacted at least one material layer.

A sorbent based monitoring system for measuring the solute concentration of at least one component of a fluid. The system has a sorbent regeneration system for regeneration of the fluid and has a sorbent cartridge that has at least one material layer. The fluid is conveyed through the sorbent cartridge and contacts at least one sensor after having contacted at least one material layer.