High-gradient permanent magnet apparatus and its use in particle collection

1. A high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus for capturing paramagnetic particles, the apparatus comprising:

(i) at least two permanent magnets positioned with like poles facing each other;

(ii) a ferromagnetic spacer separating the like poles; and

(iii) a magnetizable porous filling material at least partially surrounding the at least two permanent magnets, wherein said porous filling material is sufficiently porous to permit the flow of a gas or a liquid.

2. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:

(iv) a casing enclosing the elements (i), (ii), and (iii), wherein said casing contains an entry port and an exit port for the entry and exit, respectively, of a gas or liquid sample.

3. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , comprising:

(i) at least three permanent magnets positioned with like poles facing each other;

(ii) a ferromagnetic spacer separating each pair of like poles; and

(iii) a magnetizable porous filling material in close proximity to the at least three permanent magnets.

4. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the at least two permanent magnets are in a linear arrangement.

5. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the permanent magnets have a composition comprising at least one element selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.

6. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the permanent magnets has a magnetite composition.

7. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 5 , wherein at least one of the permanent magnets has a rare earth composition.

8. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the rare earth composition is samarium-cobalt or neodymium-iron-boron.

9. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the ferromagnetic separator is iron-based.

10. The permanent magnetic apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the magnetizable porous filling material is steel wool.

11. A method for capturing paramagnetic particles, the method comprising contacting a gas or liquid sample containing said paramagnetic particles with a high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus comprising:

(i) at least two permanent magnets positioned with like poles facing each other;

(ii) a ferromagnetic spacer separating the like poles; and

(iii) a magnetizable porous filling material at least partially surrounding the at least two permanent magnets, wherein said porous filling material is sufficiently porous to permit the flow of a gas or a liquid;

wherein, during said contacting step, the gas or liquid sample contacts and flows through the magnetizable porous filling material of said high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus, and at least a portion of said paramagnetic particles in said gas or liquid sample is captured on said magnetizable porous filling material.

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein the permanent magnetic apparatus further comprises:

(iv) a casing enclosing the elements (i), (ii), and (iii), wherein said casing contains an entry port and an exit port for the entry and exit, respectively, of the gas or liquid sample.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein the permanent magnetic apparatus comprises:

(i) at least three permanent magnets positioned with like poles facing each other;

(ii) a ferromagnetic spacer separating each pair of like poles; and

(iii) a magnetizable porous filling material in close proximity to the at least three permanent magnets.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the at least two permanent magnets are in a linear arrangement.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the permanent magnets have a composition comprising at least one element selected from iron, cobalt, nickel, and rare earth elements.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the permanent magnets has a magnetite composition.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein at least one of the permanent magnets has a rare earth composition.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the rare earth composition is samarium-cobalt or neodymium-iron-boron.

19. The method of claim 11 , wherein the ferromagnetic separator is iron-based.

20. The method of claim 11 , wherein the magnetizable porous filling material is steel wool.

21. The method of claim 11 , wherein the paramagnetic particles captured on said magnetizable porous filling material have a size of up to about 200 nm.

22. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the paramagnetic particles captured on said magnetizable porous filling material have a size in a range of 10 nm to 120 nm.

23. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the paramagnetic particles contain one or more elements selected from transition metal, lanthanide, and actinide elements.

24. The method of claim 11 , wherein at least a portion of the paramagnetic particles contain an element selected from lanthanide and actinide elements.

25. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gas or liquid sample is contacted with the high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus in a passive sampling mode wherein passive flow of the gas or liquid sample is relied upon for contacting the gas or liquid sample with the high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus.

26. The method of claim 11 , wherein the gas or liquid sample is contacted with the high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus in an active sampling mode wherein active flowing means for directing said gas or liquid sample to the high-gradient permanent magnet apparatus is employed.