A waste absorbing media composition for use in an agitating waste non-contact toilet apparatus comprises an absorbent material, a liquid, and an indicator detectable by a sensor of the agitating waste non-contact toilet apparatus.

A method of water treatment includes flowing water that includes nitrogen and phosphorus compounds through a sorption media composition within at least one chamber of a water treatment system. The composition comprises iron filings comprising at least 5 volume (vol) % of the composition, sand particles comprising at least 10 vol % of the composition; and clay particles comprising at least 2 vol % of the composition. The iron filings, sand particles, and clay particles are mixed together. During the flowing the clay particles attract the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds which become absorbed onto a surface of the iron filings and the clay resulting in a removal of the nitrogen and phosphorus compounds and the generation of reaction products. Nitrogen and phosphorus are then recovered from the reaction products.

Disclosed herein are embodiments of a superabsorbent polymer (SAP) that exhibit superior properties as compared to current commercial SAPs. The disclosed SAPs are useful in a variety of sanitary products and can be made using cost effective methods.

Embodiments of the disclosed subject matter include a litter scoop that will work with a pelleted cat litters made from various substances such as wood shavings, bamboo, paper, coir, etc.

A carbon pyrolyzate material is disclosed, having utility as an adsorbent as well as for energy storage and other applications. The pyrolyzate material comprises microporous carbon derived from low cost naturally-occurring carbohydrate source material such as polysaccharides. In adsorbent applications, the carbon pyrolyzate may for example be produced in a particulate form or a monolithic form, having high density and high pore volume to maximize gas storage and delivery, with the pore size distribution of the carbon pyrolyzate adsorbent being tunable via activation conditions to optimize storage capacity and delivery for specific gases of interest.

The invention includes a defense against flooding, with a flexible, outer shell, with absorption holes, and, inside the outer shell, one or more water-absorbing components that expand when absorbing water. The outer shell can be hydrophobic. The water-absorbing components can be compressed wood pellets. Also inside the outer shell can be a hydrophobic, but oleophilic, inner component that absorbs hydrocarbon molecules penetrating through the absorption holes. The water-absorbing components do not absorb hydrocarbons in some embodiments, In other embodiments other components mat be added that target and absorb other substances. In the first embodiment, the compressed wood pellets can be discarded easily after they have absorbed water and been expanded. In the first embodiment, the hydrophobic outer shell and oleophilic inner component are both made of polypropylene. Several specialized versions of the sandless sandbag, called hereafter a FLOODBAG, and also methods of using the FLOODBAG, a replacement for sand bags are also included in the invention, as is a method for making specialized FLOODBAGs.

The invention discloses a method for adsorbing ethylene gas using amorphous granular starch. The method firstly prepares amorphous granular starch, wherein starch slurry is prepared from starch with a ethanol aqueous solution and NaOH solution is added dropwise so as to react at 30 to 35 C. for 20 to 50 minutes; Then the slurry is centrifuged, neutralized with an ethanol hydrochloride solution, washed and dried to obtain the amorphous granular starch. The amorphous granular starch is placed in a high-pressure reactor and ethylene gas is introduced after the reactor is vacuumized to react at 0.8 to 1.5 Mpa and 20 to 30 C. for 15 to 25 h so that starch powder product adsorbing with ethylene is obtained. The test result shows that the content of ethylene in the obtained product can reach more than 30%. The method is simple, highly efficient and cheap for the adsorption process of ethylene, and the product is expected to be widely applied in the field of fruit and vegetable modified atmosphere preservation.

Provided are compositions for removal of a target substance from a fluid stream, the composition comprising a polyamine; and a covalently linked hydrophobic group, wherein the polyamine is covalently linked to a support material. Also provided are processes for removal of a target substance from a fluid stream comprising contacting the fluid stream with a composition comprising a polyamine; and a covalently linked hydrophobic group, wherein the polyamine is covalently linked to a support material.

Provided are compositions for removal of a target substance from a fluid stream, the composition comprising a polyamine; and a covalently linked hydrophobic group, wherein the polyamine is covalently linked to a support material. Also provided are processes for removal of a target substance from a fluid stream comprising contacting the fluid stream with a composition comprising a polyamine; and a covalently linked hydrophobic group, wherein the polyamine is covalently linked to a support material.

Provided is a novel method by which a porous cellulose medium is able to be suitably produced from cellulose acetate. A method for producing a porous cellulose medium, which comprises: a step for preparing a cellulose acetate solution wherein cellulose acetate is dissolved in a solvent; and a step for obtaining a mixed solution by mixing the cellulose acetate solution, a deacetylating agent and a catalyst with each other.