There is disclosed, a desalination apparatus making use of a particles including covalently bonded functionalized magnetic nanoparticles coupled to a complexing agent. For example, the complexing agent may include a crown ether. The particles are optionally used for removing salt from water, for example sea water. The apparatus optionally includes a magnet for magnetic filtering, concentrating and/or removing the particles and/or contaminant (e.g. salt). In some embodiments, the salt is then separated back from the particles using UV light. The remaining unclarified water may be washed out with the contaminant and/or used for salt production and/or disposed of (e.g. dumped back to the sea). Optionally, the particles are regenerated. For example, the regenerated particulars may be reused for further desalination steps (e.g. further salt removal from the clarified water) to clarify new input water.

Novel porous materials comprising nanoparticles, use in chromatographic separations, processes for its preparation, and separations devices containing the chromatographic material are described by the instant invention. In particular, the disclosure describes porous inorganic/organic hybrid particles embedded with nanoparticles selected from oxides or nitrides of the following: silicon carbide, aluminum, diamond, cerium, carbon black, carbon nanotubes, zirconium, barium, cerium, cobalt, copper, europium, gadolinium, iron, nickel, samarium, silicon, silver, titanium, zinc, boron, and mixtures thereof.

The invention relates to the use of a citrate solution for affinity-chromatographic removal of C-reactive protein (CRP) from biological fluids, wherein the CRP is affinity-chromatographically removed using (Ca.sup.2+-dependent) binding of CRP to a column material functionalized with ω-phosphonooxyalkyl ammonium groups and/or with ω-ammoniumalkoxy-hydroxy-phosphoryloxy groups.

The present invention relates to an organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous silica material having high selectivity to particular metal ions, and a method for preparing the same. Specifically, the present invention provides an organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous silica material and a method for preparing the same, wherein the organic-inorganic hybrid nanoporous silica material has a closed pore form by capturing a functionalized silane compound in a nanoporous silica material, which is surface-modified with a functionalized silane compound, using a cyclic molecule, and enables the sensing and highly selective adsorption of various metals due to the incorporation of an organic ligand capable of adsorbing metal ions in pores.

Nanocomposite materials are described herein which, in some embodiments, are employed as separation media for removal of various contaminants from water sources, including heavy metals, PFAS and/or NOM. In some embodiments, a nanocomposite material comprises oligomeric chains or polymeric chains covalently attached to surfaces of fluorographite at sites of defluorination. In another aspect, nanocomposite materials based on cellulose nanofibers are described herein. In some embodiments, a nanocomposite material comprises oligomeric chains or polymeric chains covalently attached to surfaces of cellulose nanofibers.

The invention discloses a separation matrix which comprises a plurality of separation ligands, defined by the formula R.sub.1-L.sub.1-N(R.sub.3)-L.sub.2-R, immobilized on a support, wherein R.sub.1 is a five- or six-membered, substituted or non-substituted ring structure or a hydroxyethyl or hydroxypropyl group; L.sub.1 is either a methylene group or a covalent bond; R.sub.2 is a five- or six-membered, substituted or non-substituted ring structure; L.sub.2 is either a methylene group or a covalent bond; R.sub.3 is a methyl group; and wherein if R.sub.1 is a hydroxyethyl group and L.sub.1 is a covalent bond, R.sub.2 is a substituted aromatic ring structure or a substituted or non-substituted aliphatic ring structure.

A sorbent suitable for sorbing aldehydes includes acidified zeolite impregnated with a urea-based compound, the acidified zeolite having a pore opening of 5 Å or greater and a molar ratio of silicate to aluminate of at least 1.1:1. The sorbent may be prepared by impregnating acidified zeolite with a solution of a urea-based compound, where the acidified zeolite includes proton counterions. The sorbent may be supported on a filter support to provide an air filter.

Bare porous polymer monoliths, fluidic chips, methods of incorporating bare porous polymer monoliths into fluidic chips, and methods for functionalizing bare porous polymer monoliths are described. Bare porous polymer monoliths may be fabricated ex situ in a mold. The bare porous polymer monoliths may also be functionalized ex situ. Incorporating the bare preformed porous polymer monoliths into the fluidic chips may include inserting the monoliths into channels of channel substrates of the fluidic chips. Incorporating the bare preformed porous polymer monoliths into the fluidic chips may include bonding a capping layer to the channel substrate. The bare porous polymer monoliths may be mechanically anchored to channel walls and to the capping layer. The bare porous polymer monoliths may be functionalized by ex situ immobilization of capture probes on the monoliths. The monoliths may be functionalized by direct attachment of chitosan.

The present disclosure provides surface functionalized affinity membranes. The surface functionalized affinity membranes can provide increased binding capacity through improved coupling chemistries, ligand densities, spacer arm types, and spacer arm lengths. Methods of preparing the surface functionalized affinity membranes and methods of using the surface functionalized affinity membranes to isolate targets of interest, including nucleic acid molecules and proteins, from a sample are also provided.

The invention relates to an affinity resin functionalized with small molecule inhibitors of glycoside-cleaving enzymes, e.g., α-galactosidase A (α-Gal A), glucocerebrosidase (GCB), β-galactosidase, and acid alpha-glucosidase (GAA), and a method for purifying glycoside-cleaving enzymes produced in a cell line using the small molecule inhibitor-functionalized affinity resin.