To provide a porous silica which is capable of effectively eliminating odors of methyl mercaptan, hydrogen sulfide, nonenal and the like, said odors being difficult to be eliminated by a silica porous material that contains no metal. A porous silica containing particles that are provided with primary pores, wherein the particles contain a metal containing substance complex having a particle size of 1-100 nm. This porous silica has a specific surface area of 500 m.sup.2/g or more.

A metal adsorbent that includes silver-decorated graphene nano-platelets and a polymer matrix that comprises polyamide, wherein the metal adsorbent is a highly porous material with a specific surface area of 200 to 300 m.sup.2/g and an average pore size of 50 to 100 , which effective removes heavy metals and cations from a liquid. Various embodiments of the metal adsorbent and a method of making thereof are also provided.

Multi-functional materials for use in reversible, high-capacity hydrogen separation and/or storage are described. Also described are systems incorporating the materials. The multi-functional materials combine a hydrogen absorbing material with a high-efficiency and anon-contact energy absorbing material in a composite nanoparticle. The non-contact energy absorbing material include magnetic and/or plasmonic materials. The magnetic or plasmonic materials of the composite nanoparticles can provide localized heating to promote release of hydrogen from the hydrogen storage component of the composite nanoparticles.

A water filtration system is provided that comprises a combination of two components: silver nanoparticles immobilized on a porous carbon solid matrix and calcium carbonate silver nanoparticles. The silver nanoparticles immobilized on the porous carbon solid matrix are prepared in a one-step wet ball milling process that does not use an environmentally hazardous reducing agent or an organic stabilizer. The calcium carbonate in the calcium carbonate silver nanoparticles is preferably isolated from egg shells. The two filter components can be present in any ratio but an approximate 50:50 ratio is preferred. Also provided is an in situ method of preparing silver nanoparticles on active charcoal. Powdered activated charcoal and silver nitrate are mixed together in a mixture of ethanol and water to form a charcoal-silver nitrate solution which is then subjected to ball milling in the presence of polypropylene to produce silver nanoparticles on active charcoal.

A fluid detecting device for detecting the presence of a substance in a fluid in an area comprising: a heating element arranged in said area, a first thermal sensor arranged adjacent to said heating element adapted to detect a temperature (T1) at said heating element, wherein said heating element is coated with a hydrophobic sorbent adapted to adsorb a substance present in said fluid in said area. The invention further relates to a method for detecting the presence of a substance in a fluid in an area.

Disclosed is an improved process for recovering condensable components from a gas stream, in particular, hydrocarbons from a gas stream such as natural gas. The present process uses solid adsorbent media to remove said hydrocarbons wherein the adsorbent media is regenerated in a continuous fashion in a heated continuous counter-current regeneration system, wherein said heated regenerated adsorbent media is cooled prior to reuse.

A membrane includes a polysulfone-based support, a polydopamine (PDA) layer disposed on a surface of the polysulfone-based support, and a silver/polydopamine (Ag/PDA) composite layer disposed on a surface of the polydopamine layer. The polysulfone-based support has a pore size of up to 600 nanometers (nm). The Ag/PDA composite layer contains core-shell structure particles and spherical particles. The core-shell structure particles have a silver nanoparticle core and a polydopamine shell. The spherical particles are silver-decorated polydopamine particles. The membrane can at least partially separate an Erichrome Black T (EBT) dye from an EBT dye/salt containing mixture by rejecting the EBT dye and allowing the EBT dye/salt containing mixture to pass through the membrane.

A sorbent filter and air filter assembly includes at least a first adsorbent layer and a second adsorbent layer. The first adsorbent layer can include one of a metal organic framework (MOF) or activated carbon. The second adsorbent layer is positioned adjacent the first adsorbent layer and can include an adsorbent material with water.

A method for treating an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution includes forming an adsorbent by treating fly ash with nitric acid and then doping the resultant acid-treated fly ash particles with AgNO3 and calcining. The adsorbent is used to contact an MTBE-contaminated aqueous solution to adsorb the MTBE and the adsorbent and to form a purified aqueous phase which is then separated from the adsorbent.

The process for creating one or more engineered media for use in a water purification filter is a passive multi-stage multi-media filter for use in water purification. The process for creating one or more engineered media for use in a water purification filter removes harmful contaminants from a water stream including, but not limited to, toxic heavy metals and metalloids, pharmaceutical residues, micro-toxins, endocrine disrupters, chlorinated and other halogenated solvents, fluoride, nitrate, and naturally occurring radioactive contaminants. The process for creating one or more engineered media for use in a water purification filter maintains concentrations of phytochemicals that provide health benefits. Water processed through the process for creating one or more engineered media for use in a water purification filter meets United States, European Union and World Health Organization standards for safe drinking water.