The present disclosure relates to methods for harvesting microalgae and to porous superabsorbent polymeric materials useful in such processes.

A capture mass for heavy metals, in particular mercury, contained in a gaseous or liquid feed, said mass comprising: copper which is present at least in part in the sulphide form, Cu.sub.xS.sub.y, a porous support based on alumina; characterized in that said porous support has a total pore volume (TPV) in the range 0.8 to 1.5 cm.sup.3/g, a mesopore volume (V.sub.6 nm-100 nm) in the range 0.5 to 1.3 cm.sup.3/g, and a macropore volume (V.sub.100 nm) in the range 0.33 to 0.45 cm.sup.3/g, it being understood that the ratio between the mesopore volume and the macropore volume (V.sub.6 nm-100 nm/V.sub.100 nm) is in the range 1 to 5.

A method for preparing a core-shell structure polymer magnetic nanosphere with a high Cr (VI) adsorption capacity includes: adding Fe3O4 powder into a mixed solution of water and ethanol, dispersing Fe3O4 powder in the solution evenly by ultrasound, sequentially adding resorcinol and formaldehyde into the suspension to adjust a pH, stirring and reacting to obtain Fe3O4@RF evenly dispersed in a chitosan solution, dropwise adding the prepared suspension into a mixed solution of paraffin and span 80, stirring for a period of time, adding a glutaraldehyde aqueous solution, stirring and reacting to obtain a magnetic chitosan nanosphere. The magnetic chitosan nanosphere prepared may be applied to adsorbing Cr (VI) in a water solution. Not only the magnetic chitosan nanospheres prepared has a high adsorption capacity for Cr (VI), but also can be quickly separated by an external magnetic field after adsorption.

The present invention relates to a radionuclide adsorbent, which includes a hollow space (specifically, an area which is entirely empty or in which transition metal oxide particles are present); and a transition metal-ferrocyanide shell (specifically, a transition metal-ferrocyanide shell having a structure in which a plurality of two-dimensional nano flakes overlap or a transition metal-ferrocyanide shell having a structure in which a plurality of three-dimensional nano polyhedrons agglomerate) formed on the space surface, a preparation method thereof, and a method of removing a radionuclide using the same.

The super absorbent polymer according to the present invention has reduced 3-hour saline solution re-wet while having a high absorption rate and absorption against pulp, and thus can be used for hygienic materials such as diapers, thereby exhibiting excellent performance.

A magnetic soil remediation agent for soil heavy metal pollution and a preparation method and application thereof are provided. The magnetic soil remediation agent is prepared by using remediation agent framework material and magnetic core material as raw materials, and heavy metal collector as modifier; said framework material is silicon dioxide activated by strong alkali; said magnetic core material comprises magnetic materials Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 and γ-Fe.sub.2O.sub.3; said modifier comprises ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA, nitrilotriacetic acid trisodium salt (NTA, (S,S)-ethylenediamine-N,N-disuccinic acid trisodium salt (EDDS) and mercaptoethylamine. The remediation agent of the present invention can effectively passivate the heavy metals in the soil, reduce their available contents, and inhibit the absorption of heavy metals by plants.

Methods, structures, devices and systems are disclosed for fabricating and implementing nanoparticles with hollow core and sealable holes. In one aspect, a nanoparticle device can includes a shell structure including at least two layers including an internal layer and an external layer, the internal layer structured to enclose a hollow interior region and include one or more holes penetrating the internal layer, the external layer is of a porous material and formed around the internal layer and sealing the one or more holes, and a substance contained within the hollow interior region, the substance incapable of passing through the external layer.

The invention discloses a core-shell structure polymer magnetic nanosphere with a high Cr (VI) adsorption capacity and its preparation method and application. The preparation method includes: adding Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 powder into a mixed solution of water and ethanol, dispersing Fe.sub.3O.sub.4 powder in the solution evenly by ultrasound, sequentially adding resorcinol and formaldehyde into the suspension to adjust a pH, stirring and reacting to obtain Fe.sub.3O.sub.4@RF evenly dispersed in a chitosan solution, dropwise adding the prepared suspension into a mixed solution of paraffin and span 80, stirring for a period of time, adding a glutaraldehyde aqueous solution, stirring and reacting to obtain a magnetic chitosan nanosphere. The magnetic chitosan nanosphere prepared may be applied to adsorbing Cr (VI) in a water solution. Not only the magnetic chitosan nanospheres prepared has a high adsorption capacity for Cr (VI), but also can be quickly separated by an external magnetic field after adsorption.

The present disclosure discloses a carbon capture material prepared by needle-tube microfluidics and a preparation method thereof. The carbon capture material includes a sorbent and a microencapsulating shell, the sorbent includes one of an aqueous potassium carbonate solution or an aqueous ethanolamine solution or an aqueous ethanolamine solution containing graphene sheets, and the aqueous potassium carbonate solution or the aqueous ethanolamine solution or the aqueous ethanolamine solution containing graphene sheets is prepared by a microfluidic device. In the present disclosure, one of the aqueous potassium carbonate solution or the aqueous ethanolamine solution or the aqueous ethanolamine solution containing graphene sheets is used as a sorbent to prepare carbon capture particles by the microfluidic technology for the first time.

A method for pre-analytical treatment of a serum or plasma sample from a patient suspected of suffering from oxidative stress, which includes contacting the sample with one or more microcapsules having a gelled alginate core and a semipermeable coating, where the alginate core includes dispersed receptors against an oxidised human parathyroid hormone (PTH) peptide. The semipermeable membrane can be obtained by layer-by-layer deposition of polycationic and polyanionic macromolecules onto the gelled core, following by hardening, crosslinking and co-acervation of the macroionic phases.