Abstract: Cellulose strands are produced by causing a growing medium containing Acetobacter xylinum to flow along a straight-line path over a growing surface. Cellulose fibrils produced by the bacteria arrange themselves in strands on the growing surface. These strands can be converted into threads and/or yarns. The cellulose fibrils produced by Acetobacter xylinum can also be converted to microcrystalline cellulose.

Abstract: A bacterium of the genus Flavobacterium which utilizes pentachlorophenol (PCP) as its sole carbon and energy source, which tolerates media PCP concentrations over about 250 mg/l, and which may be used in methods of detoxifying PCP-contaminated material.

Abstract: Microcrystalline cellulose has many applications in the pharmaceutical, food, paper and structural composite industries. Level off DP (Degree of Polymerization) microcrystalline cellulose is made up of a chain of about 250 glucose molecules in the form of microcrystal. In nature, several microcrystals are hinged together and surrounded by amorphous cellulose to form a cellulose microfibril. If the amorphous cellulose is removed, the resultant product is called level off DP (Degree of Polymerization) microcrystalline cellulose. When lignocellulosic material is processed according to applicant's earlier processes (Canadian Pat. Nos. 1,096,374 and 1,141,376), the dissociated material is partitioned by removing the lignin and the xylan leaving a low DP (320) cellulose fraction.

Abstract: A newly discoverd microorganism having characteristics of an Arthrobacter and having the ability to utilize peanut hull lignin as a sole source of carbon is disclosed. Peanut hulls have a higher lignin content than hardwoods and softwoods. The newly discovered microorganism makes the biodegradation of peanut hulls and other similar lignin containing biological waste products commercially feasible. Specifically, a process for converting peanut hulls and other similar lignin containing biological waste products to animal feed is disclosed.

Abstract: A method is described for the enzymatic saccharification of a cellulosic substrate to glucose which utilizes fermentation of the substrate with the cellulase enzyme complex-producing, thermophilic microorganism Microbispora bispora Rutgers P&W and its mutants. The resistance of M. bispora Rutgers P&W cellulase to end-product inhibition enables conversion efficiency superior to that of known cellulase producing microorganisms. Continued enzyme activity at elevated temperatures allows broader applicability of enzyme-catalyzed saccharification than heretofore attained. The microorganism in its purified form incubated on cellulase, and its cellulolytic mutants, are also disclosed.

Abstract: This is a method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber, such as ramie, flax, or hemp bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material and coloring gums therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is desirably washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber and remove water soluble material and other debris therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time of between 10 and 30 minutes to remove the pectin from the plant fiber. The acidic treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature in the range of between 60.degree. C. and 70.degree. C. and has a pH between about 2.0 and 3.5. Thereafter, the plant bast fiber with the pectin removed therefrom, is removed from the acidic treatment solution and a sufficient amount of NaOH is added thereto to increase the pH of the treatment solution to about 11.0.

Abstract: A method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber, such as ramie flax, or hemp bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber to remove water soluble material therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous, acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time between about 10 to 20 minutes to degum the plant fiber. The treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature in the range between about 60.degree. C. and 65.degree. C. and has a pH between about 2.0 and 3.5.

Abstract: A method for degumming decorticated plant bast fiber such as ramie bast fiber, to remove pectin-containing material therefrom. The decorticated plant bast fiber is washed with a washing solution containing a surface active agent to penetrate the plant bast fiber to remove water soluble material therefrom. The washed plant bast fiber is then rinsed. The washed and rinsed plant bast fiber is treated with an aqueous, acidic treatment solution of fungal pectinase for a period of time up to about one hour to degum the plant fiber. The treatment solution is maintained at an elevated temperature and has a pH between about 2.0 and about 4.5.

Abstract: Cellulose is converted to a form suitable for tablet making and other applications by subjecting it to hydrolysis using a cellulase enzyme for a time sufficient to yield a highly crystalline particulate hydrolysate which forms a hard, coherent mass when subjected to a predetermined compressive force.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a process for the microbiological modification of hardwood in that a microorganism, or an enzymatically active preparation thereof, specially selected for the hardwood in question, is supplied to the surface of the wood for attack thereof under carefully regulated conditions as regards temperature, relative moisture content, O.sub.2 content and CO.sub.2 content. Thereafter, the process is discontinued in a suitable manner, for example by treatment with steam or hot water, followed by drying; or by drying only.

Abstract: By fermenting gramineous agricultural plant materials with the basidiomycete Cyathus stercoreus, the lignin and cellulose components are differentially modified. The resultant fermentate enriched in free cellulose has utility as an upgraded ruminant feed and as a substrate for enzymatic hydrolysis to fermentable sugar.

Abstract: A process of decolorizing pulp and paper mill wastewater comprising treating wastewater effluent from a pulp or paper mill with a novel microbial strain of Pseudomonas aeruginosa under aerobic conditions.