Abstract: An improved method for the aerobic thermophilic treatment of organic material of the type in which air is passed through organic matter contained in a reactor, in which at least a portion of the air that has passed through the organic matter in the reactor being captured and again passed through the organic matter.

Abstract: An improved method for the aerobic thermophilic treatment of organic material of the type in which air is passed through organic matter contained in a reactor, in which at least a portion of the air that has passed through the organic matter in the reactor being captured and again passed through the organic matter.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the monitoring and control of a microbial population in a biotechnological system. The method involves the identification of at least one critical subpopulation and determining the optimal level for said subpopulation. A controlled variable is determined which can be adjusted to alter the level of the subpopulation. The method employs nucleic acid hybridization in the microbial population. This involves the preparation of a labelled probe from nucleic acid having a nucleotide sequence substantially complementary to a nucleotide sequence in the nucleic acid in the subpopulation. A representative sample of the microbial population is obtained and treated to free nucleic acids and to denature double-stranded nucleic acids. The resulting sample nucleic acids are contacted with the labelled probe under appropriate conditions to form duplexes.