Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Micro-organism – per se ; compositions thereof; proces of... – Fungi
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-01
2002-05-21
Tate, Christopher R. (Department: 1651)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Micro-organism, per se ; compositions thereof; proces of...
Fungi
C435S254100, C435S173100, C435S173800, C435S254210
Reexamination Certificate
active
06391618
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to the use of yeast cells to degrade environmental toxins. These yeasts are useful in waste treatment, and can be obtained by growth in electromagnetic fields with specific frequencies and field strengths.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Environmental pollution by urban sewage and industrial waste water has posed a serious health threat to living organisms in the world. Currently, the most common methods for large-scale water treatment include the activated sludge technology and the biomembrane technology. These technologies rely on the innate abilities of myriad natural microorganisms, such as fungi, bacteria and protozoa, to degrade pollutants. However, the compositions of these natural microbial components are difficult to control, affecting the reproducibility and quality of water treatment. Moreover, pathogenic microbes existing in these activated sludge or biomembranes cannot be selectively inhibited, and such microbes usually enter the environment with the treated water, causing “secondary pollution.”
Further, most of the current technologies cannot degrade harmful chemicals such as pesticides, insecticides, and chemical fertilizers. These technologies also cannot alleviate eutrophication, another serious environmental problem around the world. Eutrophication is usually caused by sewage, industrial waste water, fertilizers and the like, It refers to waters (e.g., a lake or pond) rich in mineral and organic nutrients that promote a proliferation of plant life, especially algae, which reduces the dissolved oxygen content or otherwise deteriorates water quality. Eutrophication often results in the extinction of other organisms.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention is based on the discovery that certain yeast cells can be activated by electromagnetic fields having specific frequencies and field strengths to degrade or convert certain environmental pollutants, especially certain antibiotics and organic solvents, to environmentally harmless final products. Compositions comprising these activated yeast cells can therefore be useful for waste treatment, for example, for treatment of sewage, industrial waste water, surface water, drinking water, sediment, soil, garbage, and manure. Waste treatment methods using the compositions are more effective, efficient and economical than conventional methods.
Embraced within this invention is a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 70 to 100 MHz (e.g., 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, or 100 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 30-220, 30-230, 30-250, 90-290, 80-280, 100-200, 110-280, 100-220, 116-225, 120-280, 90-190, 100-190, 160-300, 120-300, 200-300, or 130-310 mV/cm). The yeast cells are cultured in the alternating electric field for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade environmental toxins, such as antibiotics and organic solvents, in a culture medium. In one embodiment, the frequency and/or the field strength of the alternating electric field can be altered within the aforementioned ranges during said period of time. In other words, the yeast cells can be exposed to a series of electromagnetic fields. An exemplary period of time is about 12-400 hours, e.g., 180-328, 114-244, 80-380, 80-365, 120-350, 90-330, 130-330, 100-280, 110-330, 130-290, 80-290, 110-360, or 110-340 hours.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 126 to 142 MHz (e.g., 126, 127, 128, 129, 130, 131, 132, 123, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, or 142 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 90-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade trichloromethane in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 52 to 70 MHz (e.g., 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, or 70 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 80-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability Of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade toluene or ethylbenzene in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 30 to 50 MHz (e.g., 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, 40, 42, 44, 46, 48, or 50 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 80-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade p-xylene in a culture medium.
This invention embraces yet another composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 200 to 220 MHz (e.g., 200, 201, 202, 203, 204, 205, 206, 207, 208, 209, 210, 211, 212, 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, or 220 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 80-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade furazolidonum in a culture medium.
This invention embraces another composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 213 to 229 MHz (e.g., 213, 214, 215, 216, 217, 218, 219, 220, 221, 222, 223, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, or 229 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 90-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade decoquinate in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 133 to 151 MHz (e.g., 133, 134, 135, 136, 137, 138, 139, 140, 141, 142, 143, 144, 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, or 151 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 120-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade benzaldehyde in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 145 to 162 MHz (e.g., 145, 146, 147, 148, 149, 150, 151, 152, 153, 154 155, 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, or 162 MHz)and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 100-200 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade propylaldehyde in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric geld having a frequency in the range of about 156 to 176 MHz (e.g., 156, 157, 158, 159, 160, 161, 162, 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, or 176 MHz) and a field strength in the range of about 0.5 to 350 mV/cm (e.g., 110-280 mV/cm) for a period of time sufficient to substantially increase the capability of said plurality of yeast cells to degrade enanthaldehyde in a culture medium.
This invention also embraces a composition comprising a plurality of yeast cells that have been cultured in an alternating electric field having a frequency in the range of about 163 to 183 MHz (e.g., 163, 164, 165, 166, 167, 168, 169, 170, 171, 172, 173, 174, 175, 176, 177,
Fish & Neave
Haley Jr. James F.
Li Z. Ying
Tate Christopher R.
Ultra Biotech Limited
LandOfFree
Methods and compositions for degrading environmental toxins does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Methods and compositions for degrading environmental toxins, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Methods and compositions for degrading environmental toxins will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2899591