Abstract: A simple, reliable, inexpensive, and efficient anaerobic digester for treating organic wastes at a shortened residence time is described. The anaerobic digester is a multi-chambered digester that can handle wastewater and sludge in a large volume at a high flow rate. The digester also allows collection of methane gas for use as an energy source. The reactor is based on a sequential series of reaction chambers in a design that does not require internal moving parts. The volume of the chambers is adjusted to control the relative residence time of the waste to select an anaerobic microorganism group or groups that can efficiently digest the waste presented to that chamber. Under most conditions, no addition of bacteria is necessary. The digester works efficiently using microbes native to the waste material. After the reaction chambers and just prior to leaving as effluent, a settling chamber is located to reclaim the microbes and remove additional solids.

Abstract: A simple, reliable, inexpensive, and efficient anaerobic digester for treating organic wastes at a shortened residence time is described. The anaerobic digester is a multi-chambered digester that can handle wastewater and sludge in a large volume at a high flow rate. The digester also allows collection of methane gas for use as an energy source. The reactor is based on a sequential series of reaction chambers in a design that does not require internal moving parts. The volume of the chambers is adjusted to control the relative residence time of the waste to select an anaerobic microorganism group or groups that can efficiently digest the waste presented to that chamber. Under most conditions, no addition of bacteria is necessary. The digester works efficiently using microbes native to the waste material. After the reaction chambers and just prior to leaving as effluent, a settling chamber is located to reclaim the microbes and remove additional solids.

Abstract: An Alcaligenes bacterium has been isolated from municipal sewage that contains a chitin deacetylase that can deacetylate chitin to chitosan.

Abstract: An anaerobic process for the digestion of organic wastes, and novel anaerobic digester. In digestion of the organic wastes in the presence of anaerobic microorganisms, at anaerobic conditions, the carbon:nitrogen and nitrogen:phosphorus ratios of the digestion are adjusted to optimize the rate of anaerobic digestion, generally only about 12 to 72 hours, or less, being required to produce a stabilized low solids sludge and clean liquid effluent. The anaerobic digester is designed to facilitate this process, and is transportable from site to site.

Abstract: Fungicidally active cellulosic textile compositions, or articles of manufacture, which can be placed in contact with infected human skin, or worn for the treatment and cure of skin diseases. A fungicidally active phenolic compound, drug, or medicinal, is bonded to cellulose or cellulose-containing materials, or finished articles of clothing, notably e.g., socks, rendering these materials useful for the treatment and cure of skin diseases caused by fungi infections over the infected skin areas with which they are in contact. These materials, as bandages or finished articles of clothing, can be washed, dried, and reused over-and-over without addition of a fresh drug, for effective continuing treatment of a skin disease.

Abstract: This invention relates to the field of lignin degradation. More specifically the invention relates to methods for selecting and isolating microorganism from nature that are capable of degrading lignin, processes for cloning a gene segment from such an organism, and methods of using the enzyme product of the gene segment to provide valuable chemical feedstocks, methanol and the like from a lignin source material.

Abstract: A biologically pure culture of cellulase-elaborating bacteria of mutant microorganisms of Cellulomonas (ATCC-21399) which have the ability to excrete L-glutamic acid or L-lysine, or both, when the mutant microorganisms are grown in a fermentation medium in the substantial absence of yeast extract on an assimilable source of carbon, and supplied with nitrogen and mineral nutrients, in the presence of oxygen at temperatures ranging from about 20.degree. C. to about 40.degree. C. The preferred mutant microorganisms are selected from the group consisting of: Cellulomonas sp. ATCC-21399 strain LC-10 (ATCC-31230), Cellulomonas sp. ATCC-21399 strain A.sup.r -1 (ATCC-31231) and Cellulomonas sp. ATCC-21399 strain A.sup.r -156 (ATCC-31232).

Abstract: A process for the production, by spontaneous or induced mutations from a parent microorganism of the genus Cellulomonas (ATCC-21399), of selected mutants which have the ability to excrete L-glutamic acid or L-lysine, or both, inclusive particularly of certain of the mutant strains produced by the mutagenesis, to wit: Cellulomonas sp. ATCC-21399 strain LC-10, Cellulomonas sp. ATCC-21399 strain A.sup.r -1, and Cellulomonas sp ATCC-21399 strain A.sup.r -156. In a preferred process comestible, digestible protein is produced from these strains in an aqueous culture medium, or broth, which contains an assimilable source of carbon, particularly cellulose, nitrogen and mineral nutrients. The mutant strains are comparable with the parent organism in cellulolytic activity and growth rate, but the nutritional requirements, notably the need of a yeast extract, are far less exacting than for the parent microorganism, or microorganisms.

Abstract: A process for biosynthetically producing cells in a liquid fermentation media comprised of a carbon source, and a growth medium containing oxygen and other essential cell nutrients, to obtain a biomass for harvesting. The carbon source and each of the other essential cell nutrients are added, incrementally or continuously, to the fermentation media, and each required nutrient is maintained at essentially the minimum level needed for efficient assimilation by the growing cells, in accordance with a predetermined cell growth curve based on the metabolic or respiratory function of the cells which convert the carbon source to a biomass. The process constitutes a marked improvement in accelerating and increasing cell production in a given fermentation system. In its preferred aspects, the nutrients are added within the fermentation media below the foam level which forms on top of the fermentation broth.