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Algal-sludge Granule for Wastewater Treatment and Bioenergy Feedstock Generation
Water and wastewater treatments consume 3-4% of energy, while 60% of energy used at the wastewater treatment plant is dedicated to aeration in the activated sludge process. This novel bio-granule called oxygenic bio-granule, proposes to transform wastewater treatment facilities into water resource recovery facilities. The oxygenic bio-granule results from the conversion of activated sludge under photochemical reactions. It is naturally formed and is composed of algae and bacteria within one granular biomass. The bio-granule is a dense, spherical aggregate of microorganisms that is a self-immobilized biofilm and forms in the absence of solid substratum. The cohabitation of algae and bacteria within the biogranule allows for an efficient symbiotic wastewater treatment process. The bacteria degrade organic matter utilizing O2 that is produced by the algae. In addition, the algae harvest CO2 produced from the organic matter degradation for photosynthesis. The biomass flocculates to be 0.2 to 10mm in size, which allows them to be easily separable from water.
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Deoxybenzoin-based Anti-flammable Polymers and Cured Epoxy Resins
This invention provides novel, deoxybenzoin-based anti-flammable polymers and cured epoxy resins for a variety of end-use applications.
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Anti-flammable Compounds and Adhesive Materials
This invention provides new chemical compositions and methods for the preparation of adhesive materials with low flammability. The low flammability is due to newly invented organic/polymeric components used in the adhesive formulation, rather than through the addition of a conventional anti-flammable additives such as halogenated organic molecules or phosphorous-containing structures.
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Geobacter Sulfurreducens Conductive Pili as Biological Nanowires and Uses Thereof
The present invention reports the conductive properties of Geobacter sulfurreducens pili (geopili) and their use in nanotechnology applications. More specifically the present invention provides methods for culturing cells of G. sulfurreducens to produce conductive pili, as well as methods for their isolation and for their modification in order to produce biological nanowires or biological/inorganic hybrid devices with different functionalities. The invention provides applications for cells expressing native or modified pili as well as for the isolated native or modified pili. |
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Rapid Detection of Penetration of Pesticides, Antibiotices or Other Analytes in Plants and Produce
This invention provides a simple and rapid method for measuring pesticide and/or antibiotic penetration into plants and produce. The method involves the use of surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) mapping for in situ and real-time tracking of the analytes by using metallic nanoparticles as probes.
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Method for Reducing Sludge Wasting and Enhancing Bio-hydrogen Generation from the Activated Sludge Process
Treatment and disposal of bio-hazardous sludge accounts for 50-60% of the operational costs at a wastewater treatment plant. To treat this sludge, it undergoes a process involving thickening, conditioning, and dewatering, followed by transport to a landfill or incinerator. In addition to high costs, landfilling and incineration are detrimental from a sustainability standpoint. In this patented invention, a closed, anaerobic, completely stirred tank side stream reactor is added after the outlet of the settling tank at the wastewater treatment plant. Solids retention time in the reactor is short (< 4 days), keeping its size and cost down. The acidic and anaerobic environment of the reactor causes biomass to deflocculate and sludge to hydrolyze, ultimately reducing sludge by 60%. The invention also has the added benefit of producing hydrogen and methane fuel.
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Production of Specialty Chemicals with Carbon Dioxide Serving as the Carbon Source
Concerns of resource supply and climate change motivate the shift away from fuels and chemicals derived from fossil fuels towards domestic, sustainable production. The inventors’ patented technology presents a new way of doing this, using microorganisms that are able to take in CO2, water, and electricity and synthesize carbonaceous fuels and chemicals, akin to a reverse microbial fuel cell. In “microbial electrosynthesis,” a term coined by the inventors, an anode and cathode are connected to a source of electrical power and separated by a permeable membrane. Electron-accepting microorganisms are coated on a cathode, where they reduce CO2 to multi-carbon products, while water is oxidized to oxygen at the anode. For example, the production of acetate would proceed as follows: Anode: 4H2O --> 8H+ + 8e- + 2O2 Cathode: 2CO2 + 8H+ + 8e- --> CH3COOH + 2H2O Overall: 2CO2 + 2H2O --> CH3COOH + 2O2 In addition to acetate, production of ethanol, butanol, propanol, formate, and 2-oxobutyrate have been demonstrated.
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Aerobic Microbial Fuel Cell
Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) convert organic matter into electrical energy, and find applications in electricity generation and sensor powering for soil, salt and fresh water, and commercial waste environments. Typically, the anode chamber of the MFC must be kept under anaerobic conditions because of anoxic requirements for the bacteria. This both increases engineering costs and impedes proton transfer from the anode to the cathode. Dr. Kelly Nevin Lovley and Dr. Derek Lovley patented an aerobic MFC anode electrode, allowing for the aerobic operation of an MFC. In their single-chambered design, an internal reservoir of fuel-bearing liquid is created at the anode. The anode is porous, allowing the fuel (e.g. acetate) to diffuse out and form a thick layer. At the outer layer of biofilm, oxygen will be reduced to water and the acetate fuel will be oxidized to CO2. This outer layer protects the inner layer from rapid oxidation, allowing the bacteria to generate current for weeks at a time.
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A Rapid and Senstivie Method for the Dectection of Bacteria in Food Matrices and Water
This invention provides a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of bacteria in food matrices and water. The method integrates the sensitive surface-enhanced Raman Scattering (SERS) technique and the advanced Raman mapping technique to identify and quantify bacteria.
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Stable, Biocompatible and “Green” Protein Films for Antifouling, Antimicrobial and Tissue Engineering Applications
This invention provides protein films or coatings for antifouling, antimicrobial and tissue engineering applications, and scalable, environment-friendly methods for fabricating the films. The films are water-stable, biocompatible and resistant to protein and bacterial fouling, and can be made to direct human cell adhesion, alignment and growth. The films can be fabricated on both hard and flexible substrates, and the fabrication process does not involve the use of environmentally hazardous materials such as organic solvents or chemical crossslinkers. The biodegradability of the films can be tuned to enable controlled release of functional or therapeutic agents.
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