The present invention relates to a method for reducing the HTO concentration in a tritium-containing aqueous solution. The present invention includes bringing water vapor or the like of a tritium-containing aqueous solution into contact with a porous material having pores in a pore diameter range of 500 Å or less, selectively occluding the HTO in the tritium-containing aqueous solution in the porous material, and obtaining a tritium-containing aqueous solution in which the HTO concentration thereof is reduced. The present invention relates to a device used for reducing the HTO concentration in a tritium-containing aqueous solution. The present invention includes a reservoir for a raw tritium-containing aqueous solution, a means for generating water vapor or the like of the tritium-containing aqueous solution, an occlusion means in which is accommodated a porous material having pores in a pore diameter range of 500 Å or less, and a means for recovering the tritium-containing aqueous solution in which the HTO concentration is reduced. The present invention furthermore includes a transfer means for transferring the water vapor or the like to the occlusion means, and a means for transferring the tritium-containing aqueous solution in which the HTO concentration is reduced from the occlusion means to a recovery means.

Chromatography method in which a gaseous, liquid or supercritical mobile phase containing species to be separated is circulated through a packing, said packing being characterized in that: —it comprises a plurality of capillary ducts extending in the packing between an upstream face through which the mobile phase enters the packing and a downstream face through which the mobile phase leaves the packing—the material of the walls comprises a first population of connected pores, providing passages from one duct to the next enabling molecular diffusion to take place between adjacent ducts, pores having a mean diameter (d.sub.pore) of greater than 2 times the molecular diameter of at least one species to be separated—the diameter of the ducts is less than 50 μm.

A method for preparing a monolithic nanoporous silicate sol-gel material for modulating the pore size distribution for one single starting composition without the addition of a structuring agent. The method includes the following steps: a) synthesising a gel from at least one organosilylated precursor, the synthesis being carried out in an aqueous medium, optionally including an organic solvent and without a structuring agent, and b) drying the gel obtained in step a) at a temperature between 10° C. and 70° C., preferably between 15° C. and 55° C. and more preferably between 20° C. and 40° C., in a gas flow in a drying chamber to obtain a monolithic nanoporous silicate sol-gel material and a residual relative humidity in the drying chamber of between 0.1 and 20%, preferably between 0.5 and 10% and more preferably about 5%.

To reduce loss due to water evaporation and to efficiently release moisture from a moisture absorbing portion, in the humidity controller according to the present invention, a moisture absorbing portion (2) is formed to include at least two gel sections each with a different thermal conductivity and to release absorbed moisture from an exposed surface (31) that is a specific region exposed outside and that is disposed on the surface opposite to a heater (5) on the basis of heating by the heater (5).

Provided is a method for efficiently producing recycled water-absorbing resin particles from, as a raw material, discarded water-absorbing resin particles derived from used sanitary supplies, etc., the recycled water-absorbing resin particles having decreased little in absorption property and having various excellent properties. The method for producing water-absorbing resin particles of the present invention comprises a polymerization step (I) in which an aqueous gel containing a crosslinked polymer (A) of a water-soluble vinyl monomer (a1) is obtained, a gel reduction step (II) in which the aqueous gel is reduced into particles to obtain aqueous-gel particles, a step (Va) in which resin particles including the crosslinked polymer (A) and obtained from the aqueous-gel particles are mixed with a surface-crosslinking agent (d), and a reaction step (Vb) in which the surface-crosslinking agent (d) is reacted.

The invention provides highly reactive nano-sized alumina particle compositions, including alumina compositions with a BET surface areas on the order of 2000 m.sup.2/g. Also disclosed are impregnated alumina supports comprising materials that are metal oxides or carbonates. Methods for the synthesis and fabrication of these compositions are provided, along methods for the use of these compositions as sorbents.

A carbon dioxide containing fluid is flowed through a membrane in an open position. The membrane encapsulates an adsorbent bed operating at a first temperature. The adsorbent bed adsorbs at least a portion of the carbon dioxide of the carbon dioxide containing fluid. The membrane is adjusted to a closed position, thereby isolating the adsorbent bed and preventing fluid flow into and out of the membrane. The adsorbent bed is heated to a second temperature, thereby desorbing the carbon dioxide captured from the carbon dioxide containing fluid. The membrane is adjusted to the open position. The adsorbent bed is cooled to the first temperature.

A composite material for floating on a contaminated water source, including: A) a polymeric structure having a network of interconnected porous channels; and B) a carbonous material dispersed within the polymeric structure, the carbonous material has a functionalized surface. The composite material has a density of less than 1 g/cm.sup.3, and the contaminated water source contains a low-boiling-point contaminant. The polymeric structure draws contaminated water from the contaminated water source into the polymeric structure via capillary action, and the functionalized surface removes the low-boiling point contaminant from the contaminated water. A method of purifying water using the composite material as mentioned herein and a kit for harvesting purified water including the composite material as mentioned herein.

A process for producing superabsorbents, comprising polymerization of a monomer solution and thermal surface postcrosslinking, wherein the monomer solution comprises at least 0.75% by weight of a hydroxyphosphonic acid or salts thereof, calculated on the basis of the total amount of monomer used, and at least 0.09% by weight of aluminum cations, calculated on the basis of the total amount of polymer particles used, is added to the polymer particles before, during or after the thermal surface postcrosslinking.

An aerogel for harvesting atmospheric water is provided. More specifically, there is provided a polymer-metal organic framework mixed-matrix aerogel comprising a polymer cross-linked with a metal organic framework, wherein the aerogel is capable of continuous sorption-desorption of atmospheric water. There is also provided a method of forming the aerogel.