Patents by Inventor Stephen B. Funk

Stephen B. Funk 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).

  • Patent number: 5455173
    Abstract: Three individual strains of anaerobic microorganisms are disclosed. Each has an ability to degrade nitroaromatic and nitramine compounds under anaerobic conditions. The strains, identified as LJP-1, SBF-1, and KMR-1, appear to be of Clostridium bifermentans. The strains were isolated from consortia of anaerobic microorganisms grown in a chemostat in which the "munitions" compounds TNT (as a representative nitroaromatic) and "RDX" nad "HMX" (as representative nitramines) were administered as sole sources of carbon for the microorganisms. The isolated strains, either individually or as mixtures thereof, can be used in methods for degrading, under anaerobic conditions (i.e., redox potential <-200 mV), a contaminant nitroaromatic and/or nitramine compound in water or soil (as an aqueous slurry, i.e., "fluid medium"). The strains will degrade nitroaromatics and nitramines in such fluid media either alone or with other microorganisms present in the fluid medium.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 18, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 3, 1995
    Assignee: Idaho Research Foundation, Inc.
    Inventors: Ronald L. Crawford, Donald L. Crawford, Stephen B. Funk, Lisa J. Pumfrey, Karl M. Regan