A novel method of growing fungi is disclosed which uses an engineered artificial media and produces high density filamentous fungi biomats that can be harvested with a minimum of processing and from which fungal products such as antibiotics, proteins, and lipids can be isolated, the method resulting in lowered fungus cultivation costs for energy usage, oxygenation, water usage and waste stream production.

A novel method of growing fungi is disclosed which uses an engineered artificial media and produces high density filamentous fungi biomats that can be harvested with a minimum of processing and from which fungal products such as antibiotics, proteins, and lipids can be isolated, the method resulting in lowered fungus cultivation costs for energy usage, oxygenation, water usage and waste stream production.

The present invention relates to a bio-assisted treatment of wastewater containing sulphide, phenols and hydrocarbons. Further, the present invention relates to a process for eliminating sulphide and other sulphur compounds including, but not limited to, mercaptans, disulfides, PAHs, phenols and hydrocarbons.

Anaerobic digestion is a widely used biotechnology for converting food, agricultural, and other organic wastes into biogas energy but produces nutrient-rich liquid effluent (digestate) that often requires costly disposal. Using digestate and similar wastewaters to produces microalgae for biodiesel or biochemical production can provide many economic and environmental benefits by offsetting fossil fuels. However, two aspects of microalgal production severely hinder the sustainability of the technique especially in arid regions: high energy use associated with the harvest of small microalgal cells and large volumes of water required to reduce concentrations of inhibitory compounds such as ammonia. We have compared the nutrient removal and pelletization potential of an easily harvested biofilm of robust and protective fungi evolved to high ammonia environments (ammonia fungi) with less resilient oleaginous microalgae for high strength wastewater treatment and biodiesel production. Preliminary calculations suggest that the ammonia fungi-algae pellets will require less dilution water and pH adjustment for growth in high-strength food waste digestate over the control fungi (Aspergillus sp.)-algae pellets. Impacts of pH on the surface charge (zeta potential) and pelletization of the fungi and microalgae will be compared among species and discussed in relation to impacts on pelletization potential.

The subject invention provides microbe-based products, as well as their use to improve oil production and refining efficiency by, for example, remediating the disposable layers in oil tanks and other oil storage units. In preferred embodiments, the microbe-based products comprise biochemical-producing yeast and growth by-products thereof, such as, e.g., biosurfactants. The subject invention can be used to remediate rag layer and/or other dissolved solid layers that form in water-oil emulsions. Furthermore, the subject invention can be used for remediating solid impurities, such as sand, scale, rust and clay, in produced water, flow-back, brine, and/or fracking fluids.

A bio-enhanced remediation model system generally includes a microfluidic device, a fluid source in fluid communication with the microfluidic device, and an imager in visual communication with a portion of the microfluidic device. Generally, the microfluidic device includes a main flow channel having an inlet, an outlet, and a main flow channel width; one or more microfluidic beds in fluid communication with the main flow channel, at least one microfluidic bed having a plurality of structures that define secondary channels, at least a portion of the secondary channels having a width narrower than the main flow channel width; an aqueous phase dispersed within at least a portion of the main flow channel; and a non-aqueous phase liquid (NAPL) dispersed within at least a portion of the secondary channels.

A composition for stimulating the production and excretion of a lignolytic enzyme in a microorganism for degrading harmful substances and/or in the manufacturing of easily degradable ester containing plastics or articles made of ester containing plastic. The composition mainly includes tributyrin, triolein, fish oil, 16-hydroxyhexadecanoic acid, n-aliphatic primary fatty alcohols, polycaprolactone, aliphatic polyesters, linolenic acid, linoleic acid, alpha linolenic acid, plant polyesters, cutin, cutin derivatives, cutin monomers, omega hydroxy acids, 16-hydroxy palmitic acid, 9,16-dihydroxypalmitic acid, 10,16-dihydroxypalmitic acid, C18-hydroxy oleic acid, 9,10-epoxy-18-hydroxy stearic acid, 9,10, 18-trihydroxystearate, suberin, cork, fruit skins, vegetable skins, and their constituents and derivatives, hydroxy fatty acids, 16-hydroxy palmitic acid, 18-hydroxy stearic acid, juniperic acid, hexadecanol, linseed oil, perilla oil, amides, acetamide and N-acetyl amide, zinc, zinc salts, butyrate, acetate, lactate, manganese peroxidase, and carbamide peroxide.

A biological wastewater processing system is provided, which includes a processing unit and a desulfurization bacteria culture tank. The processing unit is used to remove humic acid or color from wastewater. The processing unit includes a plurality of porous carriers, and the desulfurization bacteria and white-rot fungi are immobilized on the porous carriers. The desulfurization bacteria culture tank is used for cultivating the desulfurization bacteria, and the desulfurization bacteria culture tank is connected to the processing unit. In addition, the desulfurization bacteria culture tank produces a liquid containing sulfate ions, and the liquid containing sulfate ions is introduced into the processing unit to control the pH value of the processing unit, so that the pH value of the processing unit is between 5.5 and 6.5. A method for processing biological wastewater is also provided.

Disclosed herein are methods that include producing oil and natural gas from a subterranean formation; separating the oil and the natural gas; dissolving at least a portion of the natural gas in water; exposing microorganisms that consume hydrocarbons to the water having the natural gas dissolved therein; and allowing higher-level organisms to consume the microorganisms.

A novel method of growing fungi is disclosed which uses an engineered artificial media and produces high density filamentous fungi biomats that can be harvested with a minimum of processing and from which fungal products such as antibiotics, proteins, and lipids can be isolated, the method resulting in lowered fungus cultivation costs for energy usage, oxygenation, water usage and waste stream production.