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.

An object of the present invention is to provide a ligand-immobilized sea-island composite fiber in which generation of fine particles due to peeling of a sea component from an island component and generation of fine particles due to destruction of a fragile sea component are both suppressed. The present invention provides a sea-island composite fiber comprising a sea component and island components, in which a value (L/S) obtained by dividing the average total length (L) of the perimeter of all island components in a cross section perpendicular to the fiber axis by the average cross-sectional area (S) of the cross section is from 1.0 to 50.0 μm.sup.−1, a distance from the surface to the outermost island component is 1.9 μm or less, and an amino group-containing compound is covalently bonded to a polymer constituting the sea component at a charge density of 0.1 μmol or more and less than 500 μmol per 1 gram dry weight.

Polymer sorbents selectively remove cytokines and bacterial endotoxins from whole blood and other body liquids, in particular blood plasma, lymph etc., as well as from aqueous protein solutions and aqueous organic compound solutions, also containing inorganic salts. The sorbent is able to remove both cytokines and bacterial endotoxins, improve selectivity of the polymer sorbents in respect to the compounds as well as provide a simple and effective method of producing said sorbent.

A composition of matter having a porous cross-linked polymer network, quaternary ammonium ions in the cross-linked polymer network, and at least one counter ion in the cross-linked polymer network that is at least one of hydroxide or a counter ion capable of forming hydroxide upon reaction with water. A method to produce a porous material includes polymerizing a compound containing quaternary ammonium and a cross-linker using controlled polymerization and ion exchange in the presence of at least one of hydroxide or a counter ion capable of forming hydroxide upon reaction with water. A method to capture CO.sub.2, includes employing a sorbent comprising a quaternary ammonium ions in a porous cross-linked polymer network in an environment to adsorb CO.sub.2.

An object of the present invention is to provide a material which can remove an activated leukocyte-activated platelet complex with high efficiency. The present invention provides a material for removing an activated leukocyte-activated platelet complex, the material being a water-insoluble carrier to the surface of which carrier a compound(s) having a charged functional group(s) is(are) bound, wherein an extending length ratio of the surface is 4 to 7.

Described here is a free-standing composite particle with a large surface area. The particle is capable of adsorbing heavy metal contaminants from water. The particle itself is comprised of a granular activated carbon particle to which are attached one or more carbon nanotubes, the combination of which is covered by at least a partial thin film of polydopamine or other polymeric material derived from dopamine-like compounds. The composite particles are mixed with contaminated water, after which the water and particle mixture is injected into a hydrocyclone separator specifically designed for use with the composite particle. The hydrocyclone separator removes the particles from the water, allowing the particles holding the contaminants to be extracted for treatment, while the purified water flows out of the separator for reuse. The separated particles can be treated to remove all the adsorbed contaminants, after which the reclaimed particles may be reused.

A hydrocarbon-in-water purification system includes a high capacity hydrocarbon absorber stage having a high capacity hydrocarbon absorber material and an inlet configured to receive a hydrocarbon-in-water dispersion from a fuel system. A polishing hydrocarbon absorber stage is in liquid communication and downstream of the high capacity hydrocarbon absorber stage including polishing activated carbon. The high capacity hydrocarbon absorber material has a greater saturation capacity than the polishing activated carbon and the polishing activated carbon has a greater polishing capacity than the high capacity hydrocarbon absorber material. A method for controlling and managing the evacuation of water from the hydrocarbon-in-water purification system includes tracking the purification state of water volumes and the bed loading states of purification beds defined in the water filter.

A process for producing spherical activated carbon is complex; therefore, an adsorbent that has an effective adsorption amount larger than or equal to that of spherical activated carbon and that is easily produced is desired. An adsorption heat pump uses, as refrigerant, carbon dioxide and uses, as an adsorbent, a metal-organic framework including a metal ion and an organic ligand. The metal-organic framework is, for example, MOF-200.

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.

A water absorption treatment material includes a core portion and a coating portion. The core portion is approximately circular column-shaped and has a side surface, a first bottom surface, and a second bottom surface. The coating portion is provided so as to cover the core portion. A region of 80% or more of the side surface of the core portion is covered by the coating portion. A region of 80% or more of the first bottom surface of the core portion is exposed without being covered by the coating portion.