Abstract: A system for capturing and neutralizing HAP's (hazardous air pollutants) and VOC's (volatile organic compounds) at the source point by providing a closed loop remediation system which utilizes an air collection, treatment and control module containing a predetermined size bay of multiple interchangeable mini-biofilter cartridges that function to consume the pollutant and recirculate remediated air back to the source point of the pollutant. The system includes establishing a closed loop air system at a work station which generates and emits VOC's, capturing the VOC's in the air stream flow and transporting them directly into an adjacent biofilter module which contains selected microorganisms in mini-cartridges which biodegrade said VOC's and recirculates remediated air back to the source point of the pollutant.

Abstract: Provided by the invention is a reactor for two-phase methane fermentation of organic waste materials such as livestock excrements which can be operated for a long period with stability. The apparatus comprises an acid fermentation tank (1) connected to a feed tank, a methane fermentation tank (2) partitioned from the acid fermentation tank (1) with a partition wall (4) having a gate valve (4A) and a settling tank (3) partitioned from the methane fermentation tank (2) by a second partition wall (5) having a gate valve (5A) and the space in the upper part of the methane fermentation tank (2) serves as a gas holder (6). The methane gas generated in the methane fermentation tank (2) and collected in the gas holder (6) is taken out from a methane outlet pipeline (10) opening in the canopy of the gas holder (6).

Abstract: A ventilation system is disclosed for an enclosure in which people live. The ventilation system comprises a first ducting means for ducting fresh air from outside to inside the enclosure and a second ducting means for ducting stale air. The second ducting means comprises a stale air inlet for receiving stale air containing carbon dioxide from inside the enclosure and an exhaust manifold having a first vent to exhaust air outside the enclosure and a second vent in fluid communication with the first ducting means to return clean air into the first ducting means. The ventilation system is further characterised in that it comprises catalysing means for catalysing hydration of carbon dioxide contained in at least a portion of the stale air into a solution of carbonate ions and hydrogen ions, and thereby removing carbon dioxide from said portion of the stale air and obtaining clean air. Evacuating means are also provided for evacuating the solution out of the ventilation system.

Abstract: The plants are disposed on a near-vertical matrix panel of porous or fibrous inert material, in which the roots of the plants are embedded. Hydroponic water trickles down the panel, keeping the roots wet. A fan draws the air to be treated horizontally through the panel. The unit freshens stale air in a room. It may be provided as a wall-mounted unit, or as a self-standing tower unit.

Abstract: A system and method for the accelerated decontamination of contaminated soil, vadose zone and/or groundwater is described. Contaminates are removed from soil and from the groundwater via heat injection through trenching or directionally drilled or horizontally drilled and installed delivery plumbing, pure oxygen injection through separate plumbing installed in the same manner as the plumbing used to deliver the heat, bioventing, sparging, and bioremediation, all through the oxygen delivery plumbing, and soil vapor extraction through vertical wells, all contained in one mobile treatment system. Contaminants are separated from the soil gas via filtration or oxidation. Residual contaminants in the vadose zone and/or the in the groundwater are subjected to volatilization by increased temperature via heat injection and/or oxidation via contaminant degrading microorganisms.

Abstract: A fermentation apparatus is constructed to produce a known and repeatable amount of unpoisoned fermentation product using multiple fermentation vessels. To facilitate further processing compatible with other product processing steps, the fermentation apparatus has an array of sample vessels arranged in a container frame. The container frame is configured to hold the sample vessels during fermentation and to transport the vessel array to or from another processing station. Corresponding to the number of sample vessels in the sample vessel array, a cannula array is configured such that each cannula may be placed inside a sample vessel. The cannula array is attached to a gas distributor that delivers oxygen and/or one or more other gases from a gas source through the cannula into the sample vessel.

Abstract: A garbage disposing device includes a treatment chamber used to decompose food wastes by a microorganism, intake passage, exhaust passage, and a return path extending from a diverging portion in the exhaust passage to the treatment chamber. An exhaust airflow adjuster is provided at the diverging portion. A control unit controls the exhaust airflow adjuster such that after water and ammonia in an air exhausted from said treatment chamber are adsorbed by a dehumidifier provided in the exhaust passage, a part of the air is returned to the treatment chamber through the return path, and the remaining air is exhausted to the outside through a deodorizer. As a result, a small deodorizer is available, and the garbage disposing device can be small-sized as a whole. In addition, it is possible to save energy used for the decomposing treatment of the food wastes.

Abstract: A biofilter apparatus includes at least one container having a height, length, and width containing a deep, low density, porous media within the container. An airflow apparatus is constructed and arranged to deliver a flow of air to be treated to the filter media. The airflow apparatus provides at least 37.5 cfm/ft2 with the porous media creating a backpressure of not more than about 10 inches of water. The media preferably consists of about 30-40% shredded tree bark particles, about 30-40% shredded wood, and about 30-40% composted wood sized such that 95% of the media will pass through a three inch screen and be retained by a 0.5 inch screen. A fluid mister may be provided in fluid communication with the flow of the air to be treated for introducing humidity to the air. The method for treating air via biofiltration utilizes the biofiltration apparatus discussed above and includes directing contaminated air into the container through the airflow apparatus and through the media at at least 37.

Abstract: A system and a method for purifying a gaseous contaminated stream are provided. The system and method include a treatment solution that includes at least one non-pathogenic bacteria that digests at least a portion of contaminants contained in the contaminated stream.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the cloning, sequencing and expression of a conserved immunoreactive 28-kDa protein gene (P28) from a polymorphic multiple gene family of Ehrlichia canis. E. canis P28 has an 834-bp open reading frame encoding a protein of 278 amino acids with four variable regions, and shares similar surface-exposed regions, antigenicity and T-cell motifs with E. chaffeensis P28. Also disclosed is that recombinant E. canis P28 protein reacts with convalescent phase antiserum from an E. canis-infected dog.

Abstract: The present invention provides a specific methanogenic activity measuring apparatus, in which a carbon dioxide gas absorbing container 6 is removably accommodated in a pressure vessel 4 with a cover 3 removably set thereon, the pressure vessel 4 is removably accommodated in a thermostatic water bath 7 with a pressure transducer 8 based on the pressure-electricity converting system connected to a recorder 5 attached to the cover 3, and further a supporting member for supporting a carbon dioxide gas absorbing container and a generated gas piping 16 are attached to an external bottom surface and an internal bottom surface of the carbon dioxide gas absorbing container 6 respectively, and gas piping 12 with valves for gas phase replacement to the cover 3 of the pressure vessel 4.

Abstract: Genes and polypeptides encoded thereby of human chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase are provided. Vectors and host cells comprising these genes and transgenic animals capable of expressing them are also provided. In addition, methods of identifying polymorphic chondroitin 6-sulfotransferase in humans and activators or inhibitors of this enzyme are provided.

Abstract: A digester with an agitator and a method of operating an agitator in a digester can be used, for instance, in agricultural biogas plants and communal clarification plants. The digester with an agitator and the method feature improved mixing of the waste products in the digester and enhanced digester efficiency. The digester includes a preferably round bottom surface, a filler rod and an agitator with a drive axle, preferably arranged on the periphery of the digester. The agitator is mounted in a stirring shaft or stirring pipe arranged underneath the filler standard. The method for operating the agitator in a digester involves stirring the content while material is fed into the digester through the filler standard.

Abstract: A method and plant for the treatment of an organic waste material in liquid form, e.g. liquid manure from livestock, the method comprising filtering fibres and particles from the liquid, subjecting the liquid to anaerobic fermentation in a biogas reactor, separating a substantially sterile and particle-free permeate stream from the biogas reactor, e.g. using ultrafiltration, subjecting the permeate stream to treatment with an ammonia stripper at an elevated temperature and preferably at reduced pressure to remove substantially all ammonia and carbon dioxide and to result in an ammonia fraction and a nutrient salt fraction, and separating the nutrient salt fraction into a fertiliser concentrate fraction and a water fraction, e.g. using reverse osmosis. The end products of the method are clean water, ammonia concentrate, fertiliser concentrate containing salts of P and K, compost and high-quality biogas with a high methane content.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a compound type kimchi storage device including an upper storage tank of an upper open/shut type and a lower storage tank of a front slide open/shut type as storage tanks for storing foods. The kimchi storage device for ripening and storing foods such as kimchi by selectively operating a compressor and a heater, includes: a casing composing an outward form of the device; at least one upper storage tank disposed at the inside of the casing for providing at least one upper storage chamber, an insulating material being filled between the casing and the storage tank; a door disposed at one side of the casing for opening and shutting the upper storage chamber; a drawer-type lower storage tank disposed below the upper storage tank for providing a lower storage chamber, a sidewall being positioned between the upper and lower storage tanks; and a driving chamber positioned adjacently to the lower storage tank, a compressor being installed in the driving chamber.

Abstract: A garbage disposal apparatus having a processing chamber for processing garbage; and a purifying chamber for purifying gas discharged from the processing chamber and containing malodrous components, wherein the processing of garbage in the processing chamber is performed by decomposition using microorganisms. The purifying chamber has a plurality of zones, wherein a first purifying chamber is connected to the processing chamber and is provided with an ammonia purifying unit for purifying ammonia, and a second purifying chamber into which gas allowed to pass through the first purifying chamber is introduced is provided with a non-ammonia purifying unit for purifying non-ammonia gas. Ammonia contained in a high concentration and having a large threshold is first removed in the first purifying chamber. Then, non-ammonia contained at a low concentration and having a small threshold is removed. Therefore, an excellent purifying efficiency can be realized.

Abstract: The need to filter gas emanating from a containment vessel is reduced or eliminated by maintaining, within the vessel, a gradient that concentrates most of the gaseous contaminants away from the vessel exits. This is achieved by reducing the density of gas drawn from the region near its source and discharging the reduced-density gas to another region of the vessel. Owing to its reduced density, the discharged gas already has a lower contaminant concentration than the source gas. The concentration decreases further as convection draws the discharged gas back to its source. So long as the gas flows within the containment vessel are non-turbulent, the concentration gradient remains substantially static, and the vents remain exposed only to low concentrations of contaminants. The gas density may be reduced by heating and humidification, catalytic reaction, or reaction among constituents of the gas.

Abstract: An anaerobic fermentation part generates gas containing methane and carbon dioxide by anaerobically fermenting biomass. The gas is passed to a methane.carbon dioxide separation part to be separated into methane and carbon dioxide, and part of the separated methane is fed to a methane reforming part to be decomposed into carbon and hydrogen under the presence of a catalyst. The carbon dioxide separated in the methane.carbon dioxide separation part and the hydrogen formed in the methane reforming part are fed to a carbon dioxide fixing part, which in turn reacts the carbon dioxide with the hydrogen under the presence of a catalyst for continuously forming carbon and hydrogen and fixing the carbon dioxide.

Abstract: A method for identifying a microorganism is described that includes abstracting gas or vapor associated with the microorganism from a detection region and flowing the same over an array of sensors of which an electrical property varies according to exposure to gases or vapors and observing the response of the sensors. An apparatus for detecting a microorganism is also disclosed having a detector means for detecting a gas or vapor associated with the microorganism which includes an array of sensors of which an electrical property varies according to exposure to the gases or vapors.