A method for improved anaerobic digestion is presented. The method includes mixing a volume of waste material with water to form a feedstock mixture. The volume of waste material includes an initial amount of biomass and the feedstock mixture includes methanogenic bacteria either naturally present in the waste material or introduced artificially. The method also includes introducing one or more promoter substances to the feedstock mixture. The one or more promoter substances are capable of modifying the methanogenic bacteria. Modifying includes stimulating novel enzyme production in the methanogenic bacteria.

The present invention provides for a genetically modified host cell or bacterium capable of producing an organic molecule, wherein the bacterium is capable of using hydrogen sulfide as an electron donor, carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) as a carbon source, and/or nitrate as an electron acceptor. The present invention is useful in the wastewater treatment industry, in particular in municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTP).

A process for treatment of hydrocarbon refinery wastewater producing a low bio-sludge, the process including utilizing microbial consortia comprising at least one species of Pseudomonas and at least one species of Bacillus in a ratio of 10:1 to 1:10. The species of Pseudomonas and species of Bacillus have constitutive expression of at least one hydrocarbon degrading gene. The species of Pseudomonas are selected from the group consisting of Pseudomonas stutzeri (MTCC 25027), Pseudomonas aeruginosa (MTCC 5389), Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain IOC DHT (MTCC, 5385), Pseudomonas putida IOCR1 (MTCC 5387), Pseudomonas putida IOC5a1 (MTCC 5388) and a mutant thereof. The species of Bacillus are selected from the group consisting of Bacillus subtilis (MTCC 25026), Bacillus substilis (MTCC 5386), Bacillus thermoleovorans (MTCC 25023), Bacillus stearothermophilus (MTCC 25030), Lysinibacillus sp. (MTCC 25029), Lysinibacillus sp. (MTCC 5666) and a mutant thereof. The microbial consortia is used in concentration of at least 10.sup.2 cfu/ml.

A method including contacting a stream including water with a coated porous substrate including a porous substrate coated with a hydrophilic and oleophobic coating to produce a treated water including water that passes through the coated porous substrate; and utilizing at least a portion of the treated water as a component of a hydraulic fracturing fluid.

The present invention provides a process for the treatment of sewage sludge with enzymes, which process comprises treating a sewage sludge resulting from the treatment of municipal or industrial waste water with a composition comprising a fermentation supernatant product from a Saccharomyces cerevisiae culture and a non-ionic surfactant, wherein said fermentation supernatant product is free of active enzymes, at conditions suitable for generating said active enzymes from said sewage sludge in situ.

The present invention relates to compositions and methods for the remediation of contaminated solids and liquids. In particular, embodiments of the present invention relate to the bioremediation of solids and liquids by a composition comprising a biocatalyst or mixture of biocatalysts. The present invention also relates to methods for producing the bioremediation compositions and methods for applying the bioremediation compositions to contaminated sites, including treatment, storage, and disposal facilities, as well as various contaminated water sources, such as aquifers and reservoirs.

A vermicomposting system for treating waste water streams that includes a pretreatment stage for converting liquid or semi-liquid organic waste streams into a feedstock for vermicomposting; a vermicomposting digestion stage having populations of worms and beneficial bacteria which consume and break down organic material and nutrients present in the feedstock from the pretreatment stage to create worm castings, vermicompost, and a liquid compost tea that contains plant nutrients, plant growth promoting substances, and beneficial bacteria; and a post-treatment stage in which the liquid compost tea is removed for use as an soil amendment or inoculant, or is further treated in a separate containment tank where nutrients and oxygen levels are controlled to increase specific bacterial and fungal populations.

A system for capturing and destroying hair and waste within a shower drain includes a basket placed in the drain which holds a rod including an enzyme blend. The basket captures hair or waste that is washed down shower drains The enzyme blend neutralizes the hair or waste. The result is a clear drain and clear plumbing, with minimal manual labor. The basket does not require removal because the hair and waste are neutralized before a clog can develop. The enzyme blend is safer for both users and the plumbing systems treated than conventional drain cleaning chemicals.

In accordance with the present invention there is provided a method for deoxygenation of a first liquid, which method comprises contacting said first liquid with a membrane, which membrane is on its filtrate side in contact with a second liquid comprising an oxygen scavenger.

There is provided a second method for deoxygenation of a first liquid which method comprises contacting said first liquid with a membrane, which membrane is on its filtrate side in contact with an oxygen-lean sweep gas.

The invention is also directed to an apparatus for carrying out these methods.

The present invention provides a very efficient means to deoxygenate liquids of all sorts, such as CO.sub.2 scrubbing solutions and beverages.

A laundry system is operable with only a standard power supply outlet. The laundry system can re-use water from an onboard tank component via integral plumbing components. The laundry system can comprise an onboard grey water treatment component to make system-assisted laundry more accessible to users with no designated facilities for this type of appliance. The laundry system can comprise filter cartridges that enables reuse of wash water for a plurality of wash cycles. A dryer of such a laundry system can be implemented in a manner that does not require a discharge vent and that harvests water from the dryer cycle for re-use within the wash cycles.