The present invention provides: a porous fiber that exhibits both improved adsorption capacity, and suppressed exposure and detachment of particulates; an adsorption column filled with said porous fiber; and a blood purification system in which an adsorption column is connected to a water removal column. The porous fiber according to the present invention has a three-dimensional pore structure formed by a solid fiber, and satisfies all of the following conditions. (1) The porous fiber has particulates having a diameter of not more than 200 μm, and the percentage of area occupied by said particulates having a diameter of not more than 200 μm in a horizontal cross section of the three-dimensional pore structure is at least 3.0%. (2) The porous fiber does not contain said particulates having a diameter of not more than 200 μm in the region within 1.0 μm in the depth direction from the outermost surface.

Construction for absorbing a fluid, for example, a liquid or gaseous, organic chemical, has an extended web, fabric, yarn or foam member and associated with the extended web, fabric, yarn or foam member is a water-insoluble polymer. The water-insoluble polymer can absorb the fluid organic chemical, and the construction provides for contact of the water-insoluble polymer with the fluid organic chemical when deployed in an environment where the fluid organic chemical may be present for absorption. The construction may be employed in aquatic, aqueous, or dry environments, as a blotter, a wipe or sponge, a filter, in a cartridge, and so forth.

Construction for absorbing a fluid, for example, a liquid or gaseous, organic chemical, has an extended web, fabric, yarn or foam member and associated with the extended web, fabric, yarn or foam member is a water-insoluble polymer. The water-insoluble polymer can absorb the fluid organic chemical, and the construction provides for contact of the water-insoluble polymer with the fluid organic chemical when deployed in an environment where the fluid organic chemical may be present for absorption. The construction may be employed in aquatic, aqueous, or dry environments, as a blotter, a wipe or sponge, a filter, in a cartridge, and so forth.

A filter for removing multiple target molecules from a gas stream, including a three-dimensional porous support permeable to the gas stream and a first plurality of active particles for removing a first undesired molecule and a second plurality of active particles for removing a second undesired molecule, wherein the first plurality of active particles are different from the second plurality of active particle, and wherein the first and second plurality of active particles are immobilized in or by the solid support. Also, a composite filter for removing components from an airstream by trapping or conversion using a composite filter containing multiple distinct active regions with varying chemical properties with different chemical composition within the same filter.

Systems and methods for body-proximate recoverable capture of mercury vapor emitted during cremation of human remains having dental amalgam fillings containing mercury. In various embodiments, one or more recoverable mercury sorbent packets comprise a combination of nanoparticles of one or more chalcogens and a particulate refractory material contained in a refractory material packaging. The recoverable packets capture and contain elemental mercury vapor emitted during cremation from dental amalgam fillings containing mercury. The recoverable packets are placed external to the body and within the combustion chamber during cremation, and not within the flue or exhausts exiting the combustion chambers. In various embodiments, the recoverable packets are positioned within the casket or primary combustion chamber, and may be preferably positioned proximate the head and neck of the body with the aid of selectively-refractory containment structures. After cremation, the mercury laden recoverable sorbent packets may be removed from the ashen remains of the body, and optionally the mercury may be recovered and the sorbent packet reprocessed for reuse.

An active carbon molded body that comprises a plurality of active carbon granules that are formed from aggregates of active carbon particles. The active carbon granules include a fibrous granulation binder. The active carbon molded body is formed as a result of the plurality of active carbon granules being aggregated by means of the fibrous granulation binder in the active carbon granules.

The present invention is also an active carbon molded body production method in which active carbon granules that have been formed by aggregating active carbon particles by means of a fibrous binder are molded by simultaneous application of heat and pressure without separate addition of a molding binder.

The present invention thereby provides: an active carbon molded body that has high purification capacity and good production efficiency; and a production method for the active carbon molded body.

A method is disclosed of forming core-shell iron oxide-polymer nanofiber composites. The method includes synthesizing composite nanofibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with embedded hematite (α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) nanoparticles via a single-pot electrospinning synthesis; and generating a core-shell nanofiber composite through a subsequent hydrothermal growth of α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3 nanostructures on the composite nanofibers of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) with the embedded hematite (α-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3) nanoparticles.

A liquid absorbent body according to the present disclosure includes a water absorbent resin and a pulp fiber, in which an evaporation rate of a pure water until elapse of 360 minutes after the pure water is absorbed is 0.0006 g/(cm.sup.2.Math.min) or more and 0.0020 g/(cm.sup.2.Math.min) or less, when the pure water of 20 mL is absorbed into the liquid absorbent body of 2.57 g, under an environment of 60° C. and 20% RH. It is preferable that the liquid absorbent body is configured to include an aggregate of small pieces in which a fiber base material containing the pulp fiber carries the water absorbent resin.

The present invention provides a method for hydrophobization of a hydrophilic material, the method including introducing a hydrophobic group into a hydroxyl group (—OH group) on a surface of the hydrophilic material. A method for hydrophobization of a hydrophilic material, the method comprising reacting a hydrophilic material to be hydrophobized with a hydrophobic group-containing silylating agent in presence of an amino acid as a reaction accelerator, to introduce a hydrophobic group-containing silyl group to a surface of the hydrophilic material. A hydrophobized silica gel column filler is produced by using the method. Further, a hydrophobized silica gel column is produced by filling a column with the hydrophobized silica gel column filler.

Polyvinyl alcohol-based fibers contain a polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer and an adsorbent. With respect to 100 parts by mass of the polyvinyl alcohol-based polymer, 30 to 500 parts by mass of the adsorbent is contained. The polyvinyl alcohol-based fibers have a crystallinity of polyvinyl alcohol ranging from 30% to 60%, a diameter ranging from 5 μm to 1000 μm, and a specific surface area ranging from 10 m.sup.2/g to 2000 m.sup.2/g.