Appeal 2007-3548
Application 10/627,947
Representative independent claim 1 appears below:
1. A method, comprising:
in a solution having a specific acidic pH and containing metal
cations, adding (i) an amphipathic, heterocyclic, metal-coordinating
compound that is selected based, at least in part, on a charge distribution
which maintains, at least approximately, a charge neutrality of the
amphipathic, heterocyclic, metal-coordinating compound at said specific
acidic pH and (ii) a sorbent, such that the addition at the specific acidic
pH causes at least some of the metal-coordinating compound to bind with
some of the metal cations and at least some of the metal-coordinating
compound to sorb to the sorbent, along with any metal cations bound
therewith.
The Examiner relies on the following references in rejecting the
appealed subject matter:
M. Hernandez, Investigation of Selected Potential Environmental
Contaminants: Benzotriazoles, EPA 560/2-77-001, Final Report 59-84
(Feb. 1977)
Brian E. Reed and Sujith Kumar Nonavinakere (hereafter “Reed”), Metal
Adsorption by Activated Carbon: Effect of Complexing Ligands, Competing
Adsorbates, Ionic Strength, and Background Electrolyte, 27 Separation
Science and Technology no. 14, 1985-2000 (1992)
C. L. Gruden, Fate and Toxicity of Aircraft Deicing Fluid Additives through
Anaerobic Digestion, Doctoral Thesis 1-123 (University of Colorado, July
2000)
The following grounds of rejection to be reviewed:
Claims 1-22, 24, 25, and 28-35 stand rejected under 35 U.S.C.
§103(a) as unpatentable over Gruden in view of Reed; claim 34 also stands
rejected under 35 U.S.C. §103(a) as unpatentable over Hernandez.
Appellants’ invention relates to a method for the removal of metal
cations from an acidic solution. The method includes the use of a metal
2
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