Abstract: A process is provided for solubilizing coprecipitated metals. Metals in wastestreams are concentrated by treatment with an iron oxide coprecipitating agent. The coprecipitated metals are solubilized by contacting the coprecipitate with a bacterial culture of a Clostridium species ATCC 53464. The remobilized metals can then be recovered and recycled.

Abstract: The invention relates to Proteobacteria that show unusually high level resistance to a wide range of metal oxides and oxyanions and to methods using selected subgroups for efficient reduction of certain metal oxides and oxyanions to the free metal. High level resistance was shown to be affected by growth conditions, and was observed in facultative photoheterotrophs such as Rhodobacter sphaeroides grown either chemoheterotrophically or photoheterotrophically.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for performing a fibrinogen assay are disclosed. The reaction slide bears a sample well for receiving a liquid sample and a reaction chamber in fluid communication with the sample well. The reaction chamber contains a dry reagent matrix in which is embedded a plurality of magnetic particles. A whole blood or blood-derived sample added to the sample well is introduced simultaneously into the reaction chamber where it solubilizes the reagent, freeing the magnetic particles and allowing them to move in an oscillating pattern. This oscillating pattern is optically monitored to measure the concentration of clottable fibrinogen in the sample.

Abstract: A method of abandoning an underground storage tank including the steps of: removing residuals, if any, from the tank and filling the tank with a mixture which includes water, sand, a binding agent and a material for promoting uniform mixing of said mixture. In one embodiment of the invention, a surfactant is added to reduce the amount of water required by the mixture.

Abstract: A process for converting cellulosic materials, such as waste paper, into fuels and chemicals utilizing enzymatic hydrolysis of the major constituent of paper, cellulose. A waste paper slurry is contacted by cellulase in an agitated hydrolyzer. The cellulase is produced from a continuous, columnar, fluidized-bed bioreactor utilizing immobilized microorganisms. An attritor and a cellobiase reactor are coupled to the agitated hydrolyzer to improve reaction efficiency. The cellulase is recycled by an adsorption process. The resulting crude sugars are converted to dilute product in a fluidized-bed bioreactor utilizing microorganisms. The dilute product is concentrated and purified by utilizing distillation and/or a biparticle fluidized-bed bioreactor system.

Abstract: This invention provides for improved methods of biodegradation of environmental pollutants. The invention specifically provides for the simultaneous treatment of the pollutants in a contaminated medium with ultraviolet radiation and lignin-degrading fungi. The preferred fungus is the white rot fungus Phanerochaete chrysosporium ATCC 64046. The fungi are discontinuously contacted with the mass of a contaminated medium. When removed from the mass of contaminated medium, the fungi and adhering contaminated medium are simultaneously exposed to the ultraviolet radiation. The combination of fungal enzymes and ultraviolet radiation enhances the rates of degradation beyond that expected for either of the treatments alone.

Abstract: A kinetic assay procedure is provided which permits measurement of endotoxin concentration in the range from 0.005 EU/ml to 50 EU/ml. The assay procedure relies on a single reagent substrate composition comprising Limulus amebocyte lysate and a chromogenic substrate. This assay procedure is easily automated and it provides substantial improvement in both range and sensitivity over previously available endotoxin assays.

Abstract: A method of detecting hydrolase activity using as substrates the compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein each of R.sup.1, R.sup.2 and R.sup.3 is C.sub.1 -C.sub.4 alkyl, or phenyl optionally substituted in the meta- or para- position by C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkyl, C.sub.1 -C.sub.6 alkoxy or mono- or di-(C.sub.1 -C.sub.6)-alkylamino, or optionally substituted by an O-X group in which X is a glycosyl, phosphate or acyl moiety of a natural substrate of the corresponding glycosidase, phosphatase or esterase.

Abstract: A bioleaching process is utilized for the extraction of metals from coal fly ash (CFA). The CFA is suspended in an acidic sea water based culture medium and the suspension is incubated with a microorganism culture comprising at least one strain of Thiobacillus thiooxidans capable of growing and producing sulfuric acid in the sea water based acidic culture medium and thereby facilitating the extraction of metals from the CFA. The extracted metals are separated from the CFA raffinate and microorganism cells and are fractionated to provide metal-enriched fractions. A selected Thiobacillus thiooxidans strain is described which has been designated as Thiobacillus thiooxidans ZYR1, a sample of which has been deposited under No. 40453 at the National Collections of Industrial and Marine Bacteria Ltd. (NCIMB) at Aberdeen, Scotland. This selected strain is particularly suitable for the bioleaching of metals from coal fly ash.

Abstract: There is provided a method for the determination of a glucose concentration in a whole blood utilizing a biosensor. A correction of the measured glucose concentration for dilution error introduced by the solid component of blood cells is calculated based on the change in glucose concentration measured before and after significant glucose has diffused from blood cells into the buffer used to dilute the sample. Thus, the need to centrifuge blood samples to obtain a cell-free serum sample for glucose determination is eliminated.

Abstract: A novel M.sub.r 25,000 chymotrypsin-like protease, termed clipsin, which binds to a-1-AChy in a sodium dodecyl sulfate-resistant manner, preferentially degrades .beta.-APP, and shows high activity for a period of a few days in neonatal rat brain is disclosed. Preparation of clipsin in a form that allows clipsin proteolytic activity to be measured under conditions substantially free of the activity other cellular non-clipsin proteases is also disclosed. Further disclosed is a method of identifying potential therapeutic agents for the treatment of selected neuropathologies such as Down's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease by measuring or inhibition of clipsin.

Abstract: There is provided a method for the determination of a glucose concentration in a whole blood utilizing a biosensor. A correction of the measured glucose concentration for dilution error introduced by the solid component of blood cells is calculated based on the change in glucose concentration measured before and after significant glucose has diffused from blood cells into the buffer used to dilute the sample. Thus, the need to centrifuge blood samples to obtain a cell-free serum sample for glucose determination is eliminated.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a novel monoglygeride lipase at least capable of catalyzing an enzymatic reaction of the following equation (a) and as substrate specificity, capable of acting on monoglyceride but incapable of acting on diglyceride and triglyceride:Monoglyceride+H.sub.2 O.fwdarw.Glycerol+Fatty acid (a)The monoglyceride lipase is produced by culturing a specific monoglyceride lipase producing microorganism of Bacillus and then collecting the monoglyceride lipase from the resulting culture. A method is also disclosed for the analysis of a monoglyceride-containing sample solution. The monoglyceride lipase is caused to act on the sample solution upon measurement of the monoglyceride in the sample solution. Either one of glycerol and the fatty acid formed in accordance with the equation (a) is then measured.

Abstract: A chemical product and method for accelerated biodegradation of petroleum on water. The chemical product includes a fermentation product portion and a surfactant containing emulsifier portion which has a monosodium glutamate additive.

Abstract: An assay device and method for determining the concentration of an analyte. Analyte introduced by liquid absorption into the matrix is used to generate H2O2, via an analyte-specific oxidase, and the H.sub.2 O.sub.2 is utilized by peroxidase in the presence of peroxidase to convert a substrate reagent to a colored reaction product. A trapping compound in the matrix competes with the substrate reagent, in the presence of the peroxidase enzyme, to produce a silent reaction product, thus proportionately reducing the amount of signal reaction product generated by a given amount of analyte. Detection of a wider range of analyte concentrations is therefore possible.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided for removing catalyst from a distillation column reactor and replacing the catalyst with fresh or regenerated catalyst. More specifically a small particulate catalyst is supported by wire mesh or screen or filter medium on trays in a conventional distillation column and substantially submerged by the liquid on the trays. The vapor rising through the liquid tends to keep the catalyst in suspension in the liquid. A draw-off is provided for each tray having catalyst supported thereon whereby liquid containing the suspended or slurried catalyst can be removed to a separator during operation. The catalyst is separated, as in a settling tank separator, from the liquid recycled to the tray until all the catalyst has been removed. The separated catalyst is removed for either regeneration or discarding. Fresh catalyst can then be added to the separator where it is slurried into the liquid again being recirculated from the tray.

Abstract: For the catalytic treatment of exhaust gases continuously flowing through a catalytic converter (14) from an IC engine, more particularly the IC engine of a vehicle, during operation at moderate temperatures the exhaust gases are heated by a heat storage means prior to their entry into the catalytic converter in a heating zone.

Abstract: Fermentation of the microorganism Streptomyces sp. MA6751 (ATCC No. 55043) in the presence of the Angiotensin II (A II) receptor antagonist ##STR1## yields an N2-tetrazole .beta.-glucuronide analog which is also an A II antagonist useful in the treatment of hypertension and congestive heart failure and other indications known to respond to A II antagonists.