Ion flotation method

Claim 1

A PROCESS FOR THE RECOVERY OF ORGANIC NON-PROTEIN IONS FROM A POLAR SOLUTION THEREOF BY A TECHNIQUE WHEREIN A UNIQUE FLOTABLE REACTION PRODUCT IS FORMED AND SEPARATED BY FROTH FLOTATION, COMPRISING CONTACTING SAID ORGANIC IONS WHILE IN SAID POLAR SOLUTION WITH AN OPPOSITELY-CHARGED, ION-PRODUCING, SURFACE-ACTIVE COLLECTOR HAVING AT LEAST ONE HYDROPHILLIC AND ONE AEROPHILIC CENTER OF ACTIVITY, SAID COLLECTOR BEING SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF ALKYL, ARYL-, ARYLALKYL-AMINES AND THE CORRESPONDING AMINE SALTS AND QUATERNARY AMMONIUM HALOGEN SALTS, AND A TRIGLYCERIDE DERIVATIVE SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF PLANT AND ANIMAL TRIGLYCERIDES HAVING FROM 5 TO 24 CARBON ATOMS IN EACH OF ITS AEROPHILIC CENTERS OF ACTIVITY AT COLLECTOR CONCENTRATIONS BELOW THE CRITICAL MICELLE CONCENTRATION OF SAID COLLECTOR, TO FORM A REACTION PRODUCT, AND REACTION PRODUCT BEING OF A MONOMOLECULAR NATURE CAPABLE OF ADSORPTION AT THE INTERFACE OF AN AIR BUBBLE BY REASON OF THE AEROPHILIC ACTIVITY OF SAID COLLECTOR, BUOYING THE REACTION PRODUCT WITH AIR BUBBLES TO FORM A FROTH ON THE SURFACE OF THE SOLUTION WHILE MAINTAINING SAID SURFACE SUBSTANTIALLY QUIESCENT, REMOVING THE FROTH, AND RECOVERING THE REACTION PRODUCT THEREFROM.