Abstract: A bacteria-containing two component polymer gel is provided for solubilizing particulate or colloidal organic materials in wastewater. The gel contains a minor amount of a polymer component that is difficult to solubilize by bacteria in the gel and a major amount of a polymer component that is easier to solubilize by bacteria in the gel. The gel contains bacteria for solubilizing material in wastewater and for solubilizing the gel, and nutrients for the bacteria. The gel also contains a bacteria inhibitor such as sodium sulfide or sodium azide that can diffuse out of the gel at a gel-water interface to allow bacteria to dissolve the gel at the interface while preventing an interior region of the gel from prematurely dissolving. The gel is placed in a housing through which wastewater flows and contacts the gel.

Abstract: A method for solubilizing particulate or colloidal materials in wastewater treatment comprising the steps of cultivating aerobic bacteria in the presence of oxygen in an activator solution containing a food source until the level of the food source drops below 50 mg/l of soluble chemical oxygen demand (sCOD) and said bacteria begin producing increased amounts of enzymes which solubilize particulate or colloidal materials thereby producing activated bacteria and thereafter contacting said activated bacteria or enzymes with said particulate or colloidal materials under conditions which solubilize said particulate or colloidal materials. The method is particularly useful for solubilizing particulate and/or colloidal materials containing insoluble starch, grease, fat and protein with enzymes such as amylase, lipase and/or protease.

Abstract: A method for rendering bacteria dormant is provided which includes the steps of growing bacteria under aerobic conditions in an aqueous media in such a manner that the so-produced bacteria include at least one species of Pseudemonas bacteria which is capable of enzymatically reducing nitrate to nitrogen and one species of Rhodopseudomonas bacteria which is capable of photosynthetically forming red pigment; dissolving an effective amount of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of the sulfides of sodium and potassium in the bacteria containing media; and exposing the sulfide containing media under anaerobic conditions to light for a period of time sufficient to cause red photosynthetic pigment to develop in the Rhodopseudomonas bacteria. The product produced is a suspension of dormant bacteria.