Abstract: Methyl halide contaminants are oxidized in a reaction chamber containing a methylotrophic bacterium through direct oxidation of the methyl halide contaminant. Methyl halides may be used as a disinfectant, with the remnant methyl halide contaminant oxidized through direct oxidation by the methylotrophic bacterium.

Abstract: A method is provided for enhancing oxidation of methyl bromide during agricultural fumigations of fields using a fumigant containing methyl bromide. The method comprises adding a methylotrophic bacterium to the soil in an amount effective to provide bacterial oxidation of the methyl bromide. The bacterium preferably comprises a bacterium isolated from agricultural soil, and, in a specific embodiment, comprises a 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequence in the Alpha subgroup of Proteobacteria designated strain IMB-1 (ATCC 202197). The fumigant also includes chloropicrin in an amount reduced to a level which permits said bacterial oxidation but while still enables the chloropicrin to serve as a warning agent for excessive release of methyl bromide from the soil. The soil can be pretreated with methyl iodide. The bacterium is applied to the soil as freeze-dried bacterial cells during the fumigation operation.

Abstract: A sheet feeding mechanism for a reproduction machine has a plurality of trays for supporting sheets of various sizes which are to be fed into the machine. A baffle plate is provided for each tray for guiding the sheets from that tray upwardly to a sheet separating roller assembly associated only with that particular tray. All of the sheets from the various trays are fed to a common output.

Abstract: A receptacle for supporting a stack of sheets which are to be fed into a reproduction machine has a support surface and two parallel margin guides which can be moved asymmetrically with respect to the support surface so that sheets of different widths can be placed in the receptacle with the center line of the stack always in alignment with the center line of the feed path through the machine. This is effected by a lug mounted on the receptacle at a position remote from the support surface for movement with the guides in the same direction as, and by the average distance which the guides move relative to the support surface.