(19)

(11)

EP 1 492 613 A2

(12)

(88) Date of publication A3: 18.12.2003 (43) Date of publication: 05.01.2005 Bulletin 2005/01 (21) Application number: 03716618.8 (22) Date of filing: 14.03.2003

(51) International Patent Classification (IPC)7: B01D 59/44 (86) International application number: PCT/US2003/008041 (87) International publication number: WO 2003/081205 (02.10.2003 Gazette 2003/40)

(84) Designated Contracting States: AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HU IE IT LI LU MC NL PT RO SE SI SK TR Designated Extension States: AL LT LV MK (30) Priority: 21.03.2002 US 105172 13.01.2003 US 341621 (71) Applicant: Thermo Finnigan LLC San Jose,California 95134-1991 (US)	(72) Inventors: MAKAROV, Alexander, A. Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire SK8 7AR (GB) BONDARNKO, Pavel, V. Thousand Oaks, CA 91320 (US) (74) Representative: Frost, Alex John et al Boult Wade Tennant,Verulam Gardens70 Gray's Inn Road London WC1X 8BT London WC1X 8BT (GB)