A brine waste management method comprising the utilization of brine waste as a growth medium for cultures of genetically modified halophiles acting as bio-refineries creating chemicals of value. Brine waste enters the method (101) to undergo compositional analysis (102), Pretreatment (104), and Inoculation (106). The compositional analysis (102) and the selection (103) of the chemicals of value influences the selection (103) of the halophile species to undergo modification (105), as well as the pretreatment (104) needed to encourage growth-production (107). Growth-production (107) is monitored and assisted until the extraction (108) of the chemicals of value and additional post-extraction (109) handling of excess brine waste exiting the method.

The present invention discloses a composite biogenic flocculant for enhancing flocculation and dewaterability of chemically enhanced primary treatment (CEPT) sludge. The present invention also discloses method of conditioning CEPT sludge using the composite biogenic flocculant.

A method and system for high rate acidification and organic solids solubilization of feedstocks such as municipal source separated organics, municipal sewage sludge, and various industrial organic wastes are disclosed. The method and system feature a completely mixed bioreactor containing hydrogen-producing microorganisms, a crossflow membrane unit or membrane module located downstream of the bioreactor, a storage tank for receiving concentrated microorganisms from the membrane unit or module, and a connection that recirculates desired quantities of biomass from the storage tank to the bioreactor. This configuration decouples the solids residence time (SRT) from the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and results in a high solubilization rate.

Disclosed herein is an oil dispersant composition that contains an acyl amino acid ionic liquid, a dicationic ionic liquid, a fruit acid ionic liquid, a polyacid ionic liquid, and an ethoxylate oleyl ether ionic liquid. The composition may also be diluted with water. The composition is useful for dispersing an oil spill in a body of water, while being less toxic to the aquatic environment and also acting to stimulate bacterial growth in said aquatic environment.

Microbial reactors are provided for ammonium oxidation. Briefly, a reactor comprises a medium including an ammonium component and a Feammox bacterium and/or enzyme(s) thereof capable of oxidizing ammonium with electron transfer to an anode in contact with the medium. As described further herein, use of the anode as an electron acceptor can mitigate or overcome the disadvantages associated Fe(III) acceptor. In some embodiments, for example, ammonium oxidation in the reactor can proceed in the absence of Fe(III) and/or other metal compounds operable to function as an electron acceptor in the medium. Moreover, the medium may further comprise one more contaminants in addition to the ammonium component.

A biofilm process is disclosed for treating wastewater containing readily biodegradable dissolved organic matter GP (measured as chemical oxygen demand or COD) and producing surplus biomass from the biofilm process that includes an enhanced polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) content. The process comprises directing a wastewater influent containing the readily biodegradable COD (RBCOD) into a biofilm unit process. The PHA content of surplus biomass is enhanced by controlling for a decreased biofilm process specific organic loading rate in combination with controlling phosphorus loading rates relative to the process RBCOD loading rates: (1) controlling the wastewater influent phosphorus loading rate to the biofilm unit process includes maintaining an average RBCOD/P ratio of the influent that is between 200 and 800 g/g; (2) decreasing the process specific organic loading rate includes producing a biofilm unit process effluent having readily separable mixed liquor volatile suspended solids (RS-MLVSS); and (3) separating a portion of the RS-MLVSS from the biofilm unit process effluent and recycling at least a portion of the separated RS-MLVSS back to the biofilm unit process. The combination of the RBCOD/P control and specific loading rate control maintains, on average, the surplus biomass with a PHA content that is greater than 30% gPHA/g VSS.

The invention provides a system of heavy metal sequestration by bacteria. The bacteria expresses the ppk, mt, and/or β-galactosidase (lacZ) genes and can tolerate at least 25 μM mercury, 1,000 μM zinc, 250 μM cadmium, and 3,000 μM Pb. The system allows for facile determination of the presence of heavy metal contaminants in a liquid and the facile collection of the bacteria that has sequestered large amounts of heavy metal. Further provided is a system of gene expression in bacteria that comprises phage and plastid gene expression elements and delivers a particularly high level of protein expression and heavy metal resistance.

Processes and compositions for removal nitrogen, organic and inorganic contaminants from wastewater using Feammox bacterium are provided.

Provided are a composition containing as active ingredients thereof Bacillus subtilis strain BN1001 (deposit number: FERM P-11132) and Bacillus subtilis var. natto, a wastewater treatment system provided with a biological treatment tank that biologically treats wastewater wherein the Bacillus subtilis strain BN1001 and Bacillus subtilis var. natto are contained in the biological treatment tank, a wastewater treating method that biologically treats wastewater comprising a step for adding the Bacillus subtilis strain BN1001 and Bacillus subtilis var. natto to the wastewater, a deodorization method comprising a step for contacting the Bacillus subtilis strain BN1001 and Bacillus subtilis var. natto with a malodorous source, a support having Bacillus subtilis and Bacillus subtilis var. natto supported thereon, a wastewater treatment system wherein the support is contained in a biological treatment tank, a wastewater treating method comprising a step for adding the support to wastewater, and a batch water treating method wherein the support is contained in a biological treatment tank.

A composition remediation of soil and groundwater containing halogenated compounds. The remediation composition includes an elemental iron-based composition, which may include activated carbon capable of absorbing the halogenated compounds with numerous pores impregnated with elemental iron. The remediation composition further includes a first bioremediation material including a blend of one-to-many organisms capable of degrading the halogenated compounds. The remediation composition includes an organic compound or polymeric substance and a second bioremediation material including a blend of one-to-many organisms capable of degrading the organic compound or polymeric substance over time (e.g., 20 to 365 or more days to provide a time release substrate-creating material or platform) into smaller molecules or compounds used by the organisms in the first bioremediation material while degrading the halogenated compounds. The organic compound may be a complex carbohydrate such as food grade starch, chitin, or other complex carbohydrate such as one with low water solubility.