Abstract: The present invention relates to the use of cell cultures in the open continuous mode, to a method for selecting static cell variants or cell variants which proliferate in suspension, to a culture substrate and to a device suitable for implementing this method.

Abstract: It is an object to provide a method and an apparatus for recovering indium, the method and apparatus ensuring that it is unnecessary to recover indium in the form of indium hydroxide, indium can be recovered easily by a filter or the like without handling inferiors and also, the recovery rate of indium is greatly improved. The method includes immersing a precipitation-inducing metal which includes zinc and is made into the form of a solid such that any part coming into view three-dimensionally has a longitudinal length of 2.5 to 10 mm in an etching waste solution containing at least indium and ferric chloride and allowed to stand, thereby allowing indium contained in the etching waste solution to precipitate on the surface of the precipitation-inducing metal based on a difference in ionization tendency between zinc and indium, and detaching the indium precipitated on the surface of the precipitation-inducing metal to recover it.

Abstract: This invention provides a method and apparatus for recovering In in the form of an alloy or a metal simple substance as a valuable material from waste LCD. In the In recovery method and apparatus, there is no need to recover In as indium hydroxide, and In can be recovered as a valuable metal. Accordingly, unlike the case of indium hydroxide, the recovery does not suffer from poor handling, and In can easily be recovered through a filter or the like with significantly improved In recovery.

Abstract: The invention concerns a novel isolated microorganism characterized in that it is capable of: i) transforming Kjeldahl nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen and/or nitrogen oxides into gas nitrogen; and ii) transforming carbonaceous matter into carbon dioxide; both transformation processes being carried out in aerobic condition. The invention also concerns a method for treating wastewater using said microorganism.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel microorganism which has an excellent ability to solubilize a variety of organic solid matter such as biological sludge including raw sludge and excess sludge discharged from sewage treating processes at sewage treatment plants, night soil treatment plants or the like, or organic sludge discharged from production processes or wastewater treatment processes at food plants, chemical plants or the like. A novel microorganism of the present invention belongs to genus Geobacillus, which has an ability to produce a solubilizing enzyme for solubilizing organic solid matter such as organic sludge or biological sludge.

Abstract: According to the present invention, there is provided a stirred tank for storing yeast slurry to be supplied to fermentation tanks where fermented foods such as beer are fermented, is characterized in that a stirring impeller is provided within the stirred tank and so constructed that a maximum diameter of a rotation body defined by the rotation of the stirring impeller is 60-90% of the inner diameter of the stirred tank, and the height of the rotation body is 70% or more of a standard depth of the yeast slurry normally stored in the stirred tank.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for continuously, semi-continuously or discontinuously treating a substrate (24) consisting in placing said substrate in a bioreactor receiver (1) and in exposing it to the action of a living cell culture (C1) which makes it possible to carry out a reaction (R1) on the substrate (24) and to which a medium is periodically inoculated with the aid of living cells (C2) improving said reaction. Said living cells (C2) are obtainable by selection from a population of dynamic living cells carried out by an automatic selection device (2) which is supplied by the same substrate (24) as the bioreactor receiver (1) and is originally inoculated with the living cells (C1) contained in the bioreactor receiver (1) tank and an operating device.

Abstract: An aqueous composition for plasticizing or softening paint, varnish and similar coatings prior to stripping the coating from a surface includes a combination of the active agents, e.g., triethylphosphate and a co-agent selected from dimethyl adipate, 1,2,3-propanetriol triacetate, tri-n-butyl citrate, n-octyl acetate, methyl octanoate and 2-ethyl-l-butanol; as an emulsified hydrophobic phase in which the actives are partitioned between the hydrophobic and aqueous phases. The emulsion is stabilized using a non-ionic water-soluble block copolymer surfactant, being a copolymer of more than one alkylene oxide. The composition may be thickened using rheology control agent. Synthetic smectic clays are particularly suitable. The composition is non-toxic and consists predominantly of water, and yet exhibits effective paint, varnish and lacquer plasticizing/softening.

Abstract: An aqueous composition for softening or removing organic coatings comprises: (a) an effective amount of a mixture of (a1) at least one non-toxic compound of formula (I). Wherein R, R1 and R2 which may be the same or different, represent lower alkyl, phenyl or lower alkyl-phenyl groups (e.g. triethlyphosphate) and (a2) at least one non-toxic lower alkyl ester of a C2-20 carboxylic acid or at least one non-toxic C4-12 alkanol (e.g. diethyl succinate, diethyl succinate, diethyl adipate. 1,2,3-propanetriol triacetate, tri-n-butyl citrate, n-octyl acetate or methyl octanoate)(b) an effective amount of at least one surfactant to allow the composition to exist as a stable emulsion. The surfactant(s) being selected nonionic water-soluble block compolymers of more than one alkylene oxide (e.g.

Abstract: A predominantly aqueous composition for plasticising or softening paint, varnish and similar coatings prior to stripping the coating from a surface includes preferably a combination of the active agents triethylphosphate and a co-agent selected from dimethyl adipate, 1,2,3-propanetriol triacetate, tri-n-butyl citrate, n-octyl acetate, methyl octanoate and 2-ethyl-l-butanol, as an emulsified hydrophobic phase in which the actives are partitioned between the hydrophobic and aqueous phases. The emulsion is preferably stabilized using a non-ionic water-soluble block copolymer surfactant, being a copolymer of more than one alkaline oxide. The composition may be thickened using a rheology control agent. Synthetic smectic clays are particularly suitable. The composition is non-toxic and consists predominantly of water, and yet exhibits effective paint, varnish and lacquer plasticising/softening characteristics.