Cellulosic particles, spherical object comprising cross-linked polymer particles, and adsorbent for body fluid purification

Abstract

The present invention relates to a cellulosic particle body comprising interconnected cellulosic small particles with small interparticle spaces and to a method of producing said cellulosic particle body which comprises dispersing cellulosic small particles in an alkaline medium and contacting the resulting suspension with a coagulating solution. In this specification, the above technology will be referred to as the first invention.

1 . A cellulosic particle body comprising cellulosic small particles which are interconnected and having voids between the cellulosic small particles.  
     
     
         2 . The cellulosic particle body according to  claim 1  wherein the cellulosic small particles are interconnected in the presence of a binder.  
     
     
         3 . The cellulosic particle body according to  claim 1  or  2  wherein the cellulosic small particles have a mean particle diameter of 1×10 −6  to 500×10 −6  m.  
     
     
         4 . The cellulosic particle body according to  claim 1 ,  2  or  3  wherein the cellulosic small particles are porous particles.  
     
     
         5 . The cellulosic particle body according to  claim 1 ,  2 ,  3  or  4  wherein the particle body has a mean particle diameter of 10×10 −6  to 5000×10 −6  m.  
     
     
         6 . A method of producing the cellulosic particle body according to  claim 1  which comprises dispersing cellulosic small particles in an alkaline medium and contacting the resulting suspension with a coagulating solution.  
     
     
         7 . The method of producing a cellulosic particle body according to  claim 6  wherein the suspension is formed into droplets not exceeding 5×10 −3  m in diameter and then contacted with the coagulating solution.  
     
     
         8 . The method of producing a cellulosic particle body according to  claim 6  or  7  wherein a binder is coexistent with the suspension.  
     
     
         9 . The method of producing a cellulosic particle body according to  claim 8  wherein the suspension has a viscosity of 5×10 −4  to 1×10 4  Pa·s as measured at room temperature.  
     
     
         10 . A perfusion type cellulosic particle body which comprises porous cellulosic small particles interconnected to have void between the cellulosic small particles as produced by dispersing the porous cellulosic small particles in an alkaline medium to prepare a suspension and contacting the resulting suspension with a coagulating solution.  
     
     
         11 . The perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 10  wherein the coagulating solution is an acidic solution.  
     
     
         12 . The perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 11  wherein the alkaline medium has a pH value of not less than 13, the concentration of cellulosic small particles in the suspension is 50 to 75 volume %, and the acidic solution has a pH value of not more than 1.  
     
     
         13 . The perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 10 ,  11  or  12  wherein the ratio of its mean particle diameter to the mean diameter of the cellulosic small particles is less than 50.  
     
     
         14 . The perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 10 ,  11 ,  12  or  13  which has a mean particle diameter of not less than 100×10 −6  m and, when a housing packed with it is irrigated at a linear velocity of not less than 3×10 −4  m/s, produces a perfusion effect.  
     
     
         15 . A method of producing a perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 10  wherein porous cellulose particles are dispersed in an alkaline medium to prepare a suspension and the resulting suspension is contacted with a coagulating solution.  
     
     
         16 . The method of producing a perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 15  wherein the coagulating solution is an acidic solution.  
     
     
         17 . The method of producing a perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 16  wherein the alkaline medium has a pH value of not less than 13, the concentration of cellulosic small particles in the suspension is 50 to 75 volume % and the acidic solution has a pH value of not more than 1.  
     
     
         18 . A spherical type body which comprises crosslinked polymer particles having diameters within a range of 0.1×10 −6  m to 10×10 −3  m with a standard deviation of not greater than 100% of their mean diameter and which has a diameter of 1×10 −6  m to 100×10 −3  m, and satisfies the following conditions (A) to (C): 
 (A) that said crosslinked polymer particles are interconnected via an organic binder comprising a non-crosslinked polymer;  
 (B) that the surfaces of said crosslinked polymer particles have area(s) not covered with said organic binder but remaining exposed;  
 (C) that voids exist between the interconnected crosslinked polymer particles.  
 
     
     
         19 . The spherical type body comprising the crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18  wherein the crosslinked polymer particles are porous particles.  
     
     
         20 . The spherical type body comprising crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18  or  19  wherein the crosslinked polymer particles are composed of a crosslinked polymer containing styrene as a monomer unit.  
     
     
         21 . The spherical type body comprising the crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18 ,  19  or  20  wherein the crosslinked polymer particles are composed of a crosslinked polymer containing divinylbenzene as a component of crosslinking agent.  
     
     
         22 . The spherical type body comprising crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18 ,  19 ,  20  or  21  wherein the organic binder is a non-crosslinked polymer containing styrene as a monomer unit.  
     
     
         23 . A method of producing the spherical type body comprising crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18  which comprises immersing crosslinked polymer particles having diameters within a range of 0.1×10 −6  m to 10×10 −3  m with a standard deviation of not more than 100% of their mean diameter in a solution containing an organic binder comprising a non-crosslinked polymer in an organic solvent which does not dissolve said crosslinked polymer particles but dissolves said organic binder and then evaporating said organic solvent under stirring to interconnect said crosslinked polymer particles via said organic binder separating out on surfaces of said crosslinked polymer particles.  
     
     
         24 . An adsorbent for purification of a body fluid which comprises a perfusion type carrier and, as immobilized thereon, a substance having an affinity for a target substance in the body fluid.  
     
     
         25 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24  wherein the perfusion type carrier comprises the perfusion type cellulosic particle body according to  claim 10 ,  11 ,  12 ,  13  or  14 .  
     
     
         26 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24  wherein the perfusion type carrier is the spherical type body comprising the crosslinked polymer particles according to  claim 18 ,  19 ,  20 ,  21  or  22 .  
     
     
         27 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24 ,  25  or  26  which has a mean particle diameter of not less than 100×10 −6  m and produces a perfusion effect when a housing packed with it is irrigated at a linear velocity of not less than 3×10 −4  m/s.  
     
     
         28 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24 ,  25 ,  26  or  27  which comprises particles having diameters within a range of 100×10 −6  m to 4000×10 −6  m and is intended for use in direct contact with whole blood.  
     
     
         29 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27  or  28  wherein the ratio of the mean diameter of said perfusion type particles to the mean diameter of flow-through pores of the perfusion type carrier thereof is not greater than 70.  
     
     
         30 . The adsorbent for purification of a body fluid according to  claim 24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28  or  29  wherein the perfusion type carrier has a height equivalent to a theoretical plate of not greater than 0.5 m as determined when it is irrigated with a solution containing a target substance alone at a linear velocity of 1×10 −4  M/s to 10×10 −4  m/s.  
     
     
         31 . An adsorption apparatus for purification of a body fluid comprising the adsorbent according to  claim 24 ,  25 ,  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  29  or  30  as a packing.  
     
     
         32 . A method of purifying a body fluid which comprises purifying the body fluid by means of the adsorption apparatus for purification of the body fluid according to  claim 31.