Abstract: Materials of particular utility in separating hydrocarbon values from mineral deposits, e.g. bitumen from tar sands, are prepared by a microbiological fermentation process using certain selected microorganisms. The fermentation process is conducted under aerobic conditions, with the selected microorganisms growing on a hydrocarbon substrate. The materials have surfactant properties, in greater or lesser degree. The materials may be subsequently separated from the fermentation broth, or alternatively the broth may be used as is, since it contains relatively large proportions of suitable separation effecting materials.

Abstract: The specification discloses making a mixed fungal (yeast and yeast-like) system culture adapted to biodegradation of spent sulfite liquor (SSL) comprising the steps of exposing a mixed culture system (being a sludge from a sewage treatment plant) to increasing concentration of SSL until the fungus becomes acclimatized to SSL of the desired concentration. The resulting biotic population comprises a fungal mixture, of yeast and yeast-like cultures. It was based on an autolytic culture system: Phialophora jeanselmei, Phialophora richardsiae, Hyalodendron lignicola, Trichosporon infestans and Candida tropicalis. A method and apparatus are disclosed for biodegrading both the soluble substrates in a spent sulfite liquor and the biological solids produced therefrom by a potentially autolytic culture system.

Abstract: There is provided a process for breaking or at least destabilizing oil-in-water emulsions and water-in-oil emulsions, which comprises adding to the emulsion a broth or portion of a broth resulting from the culture therein of specifically selected bacterial microorganisms of the genus Nocardia, Rhodococcus, Arthrobacter, Corynebacterium or Mycobacterium. In particular, the microorganisms, Nocardia amarae, Rhodococcus aurantiacus and Rhodococcus rubropertinctus have been found to yield broths, following cultivation, having exceptionally good properties as de-emulsifying agents.

Abstract: Newly isolated microbes of the genera Arthrobacter-Corynebacterium-Nocardia as represented by Corynebacteria Salvinicum strain SFC, produce substantial quantities of materials having outstanding surfactant properties, when grown on carbon supplying substrates under fermentation conditions.

Abstract: The specification discloses making a mixed fungal (yeast and yeast-like) system culture adapted to biodegradation of spent sulfite liquor (SSL) comprising the steps of exposing a mixed culture system (being a sludge from a sewage treatment plant) to increasing concentration of SSL until the fungus becomes acclimatized to SSL of the desired concentration. The resulting biotic population comprises a fungal mixture, of yeast and yeast-like cultures. It was based on an autolytic culture system: Phialophora jeanselmei, Phialophora richardsiae, Hyalodendron liqnicola, Trichosporon infestans and Candida tropicalis. A method and apparatus are disclosed for biodegrading both the soluble substrates in a spent sulfite liquor and the biological solids produced therefrom by a potentially autolytic culture system.

Abstract: A new process for cultivating selected cultures involves initially removing broth at a first rate from a fermentation and replacing it with supporting medium, the replacement rate thereafter being increased to remove cultures of lower growth rate than the selected culture. A new process for the microbiological synthesis of protein-containing material by an aerobic fermentation in a supporting medium uses a normally gaseous hydrocarbon substrate selected from nethane, ethane, propane and butane and a protein-producing fungus of graphium species. It has not been known hitherto for such syntheses to be possible with a fungus. The said substrate may be natural gas.

Abstract: An emulsifying agent of microbiological origin is produced by an aerobic aqueous fermentation process employing Corynebacterium hydrocarboclastus UWO 409 as the fermentation agent and paraffinic hydrocarbon substrate. An emulsifying agent product consists essentially of an extracellular polymer product of a fermentation process, the polymer comprising a polysaccharide component including galactose, glucose and mannose in ratio about 1:2.65:1.96 and a bound protein component.