Abstract: An enzymatic process for the conversion of glucose into gluconic acid, uses concentrated glucose solutions. The process employs a combination of glucose oxidase and catalase enzymes which may be obtained from an Aspergilltus niger strain and has a high ratio of catalase;glucose oxidase activity. The enzymatic process requires less time than conventional fermentation processes, the yield of the conversion is close to 100% and the obtained gluconic acid/gluconate solutions do not contain impurities.

Abstract: An oxidative biological purification process for waste water in a fluidized-bed reactor at a pH between 5 and 8 in the oxidation space comprising passing waste water upwards through an air-sparged oxidation space containing aerobic biomass attached to insoluble carrier particles of a size of 0.1 to 2 mm with a specific gravity of 2 to 5 g/cm.sup.3 at such a rate that space loads of COD of 4-50 kg/m.sup.3 day are achieved while continuously and completely separating purified waste water leaving the oxidation space from said attached aerobic biomass, whereby the aerobic biomass prevails to at least a very substantial extent in a state of attachment to said carrier particles, undue surplus formation of said sludge being minimized by continuous control of the residence time of the waste water to be treated in the oxidation space between the limits of 0.3 to 20 hours, and at least all attached aerobic biomass is recycled to the oxidation space by way of settling.