The Symposium on Membrane Processes in Industry and Biomedicine has been held under the sponsorship of the Division of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry at the 160th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Chicago, Illinois, September 16 and 17, 1970. Its priÂ- mary objective has been to spotlight some of the current directions of research in this rapidly growing field. There is at present considerable enthusiasm in membrane research, and the expectations are running high. This is partially due to the fact that basic concepts on which membrane processes are based are so deceptively simple. Moreover, all of us are living proofs of their potential efficiency. Our lungs and kidneys, skin and intestines are examples of membrane devices for gaseous and liquid separations, exchanges, and concentration. Even on a molecular level, life as we know is inconceivable without cell membranes and cell organs, such as mitochondria and chloroplasts, which appear to function as memÂ- brane regulated mini-factories for some of the most important and comÂ- plex chemical syntheses in our bodies.
