Patents by Inventor Christopher J. Tompkins

Christopher J. Tompkins has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Bioreactor process for continuous removal of organic toxicants and other oleophilc solutes from an aqueous process stream
    Patent number: 4988443
    Abstract: A hollow fiber membrane bioreactor process for continuous selective removal of organic toxicants or other oleophilic solutes present in an aqueous process stream wherein low concentration levels of said toxicant are removed from the aqueous process stream by being extracted and concentrated by the permeably selective hollow fiber membrane and then provided to a microorganism for metabolization into a water soluble metabolite. The water soluble metabolite is prevented from reentering the aqueous process stream and removed from the bioreactor in the aqueous nutrient effluent stream.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 1990
    Date of Patent: January 29, 1991
    Assignee: North Carolina State University
    Inventors: Alan S. Michaels, Steven W. Peretti, Christopher J. Tompkins