Abstract: Ruthenium compounds, either alone or in combination with other remediating compounds, can be used to oxidize, remove and sequester contaminants in water and soil or sediments.

Abstract: A medium for culturing microorganisms includes at least one compound which can be used as a source of phosphorus for microorganisms but which at least one compound will not precipitate Pb2+ ions, so that the medium does not form a precipitate in the presence of up to about 25 mM Pb2+ ions. Preferred compounds are O-phospho-L-amino acids. A buffer may be included in the medium. The medium is particularly well suited for remediating lead contaminated site by bioremediation.

Abstract: A medium for culturing microorganisms in the presence of Pb2+ uses as a phosphate component, an O-phosphate-L-amino acid, to provide a source of phosphate for the microorganisms so as to avoid precipitating lead.

Abstract: A shelving system having an appearance of a suspended shelf including a panel, a pair of narrow profile shelf clips and a cantilevered shelf secured in the shelf clips. The panel includes a vertical series of holes formed into each side. Each shelf clip has an upper and lower pin to engage holes in the side edge of the back panel. Each clip includes an upper shelf brace and a lower shelf brace defining a shelf space there between for the seating of a shelf. The upper and lower shelf braces each include a friction pad to snugly engage the upper and lower surfaces of a margin of the shelf. The friction pads are interchangeable to provide a plurality of thicknesses to adjust the dimension of the shelf space so as to accommodate shelves of varying thicknesses.

Abstract: Solid calcium phosphate materials are used for in-situ immobilization of lead contaminated soils, wastes, and sediments by mixing the solid calcium phosphate material with the lead contaminated material and leaving the mixture in place. The solid calcium phosphate material includes, for example, naturally occurring apatite, synthetic hydroxyapatite, dibasic calcium phosphate, or phosphate rock.

Abstract: A backstop supports a ball which is encircled by non-fabric straps whose ends overlap and are secured by pile and loop fasteners. A vertical elastic tether is fastened at one end to one of the straps and at its other end to a metal hook which detachably engages a horizontal overhead chain-link mesh portion of the backstop. The backstop also has vertical chain-link mesh portions which support targets. A transverse inelastic cord is secured at one end to a ball strap and at its other end to one of the vertical mesh portions near a target. A pole with a fork on its end is used to engage and disengage the metal hook relative to the overhead chain-link portion.

Abstract: A ball harness comprising a parallelogram of straps with radially extending straps from the corners of the parallelogram, adjustably affixed together and interlayered by interlocking hoop and loop materials so as to firmly wrap a ball.

Abstract: A data processing system employing firmware for executing a self test routine each time the system goes through the power-up cycle. The self test firmware provides for compilation of a system configuration map during each execution so that configuration and status data is made available for accessing by the system operation firmware and application software. This enables external systems to set appropriate interrupt vectors and levels and to arrange their physical I/O and device handlers so that various devices within the local system can be accessed. The routines performed in the self test operation include a CPU test, a RAM test, a real time clock test, a communication controller loop-back test, a ROM signature calculation, a controller I/O test, a system configuration map compilation, and a status display routine.