Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology – Process of utilizing an enzyme or micro-organism to destroy... – Treating animal or plant material or micro-organism
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-17
2002-06-25
Redding, David A. (Department: 1744)
Chemistry: molecular biology and microbiology
Process of utilizing an enzyme or micro-organism to destroy...
Treating animal or plant material or micro-organism
C435S836000, C435S838000, C435S839000, C435S842000, C435S856000, C426S002000, C210S611000, C210S613000, C424S076500, C424S076600
Reexamination Certificate
active
06410305
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the storage and treatment of animal wastes generated at facilities where animals such as hogs or cattle are raised. More particularly, the invention relates to a microbial process for treating organic waste materials in waste holding facilities in order to reduce the sulfide content and enhance efficient degradation of the waste without significant odor.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The raising of large numbers of animals such as hogs and cattle for human consumption leads to the production of large amounts of organic waste materials. Typically, the organic waste material is collected and maintained in animal waste holding facilities, pits, or lagoons. Theoretically, bacteria in the waste materials work in concert to degrade organic matter over time.
Stresses placed on the ecology of the facility, including overloading of organic matter, changes in pH, temperature, and the like, disturb the ecology of the facility. Sulfide-producing bacteria dominate in a stressed facility, producing sulfides that are toxic to the growth and degradation activities of microorganisms. This results in a system that is inefficient in degrading wastes and continues to produce large amounts of hydrogen sulfides, volatile fatty acids, ammonia, and other malodorous compounds that create an unhealthy biomass in the waste facility.
Attempts to add organic digesting bacteria to a stressed, sulfide-rich facility have had limited success, due to the unfavorable conditions for their growth. Sulfur-degrading bacteria have been used to oxidize sulfides in some systems, but the effect is short-lived and fails to completely detoxify the facility and/or degrade organic matter.
There is a need and demand for a process for treating animal waste in a holding facility to create a healthy biomass to efficiently degrade organic waste and control solids build-up without toxicity and importantly, without the odors caused by sulfides, ammonia, and volatile fatty acids.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a process for the treatment of large amounts of organic waste in a holding facility, which process reduces sulfide levels to that which are non-toxic to organic digesting bacteria. The process provides an appropriate microbial environment and enhances efficient degradation of large amounts of organic wastes without toxicity, organic matter build up, and without odors caused by sulfides, ammonia, and volatile fatty acids.
The process of the invention includes administering to an animal a probiotic material capable of promoting organic digestion and maintaining a sulfide gas concentration of less than 10 ppm from a waste produced by the animal. The process of the invention also includes administering a probiotic material, capable of promoting organic digestion, to an animal and adding an innoculum of sulfide-utilizing bacteria to the waste produced by the animal. The process of the invention further includes administering to an animal a probiotic feed that includes organic digesting bacteria and lytic enzymes. Then an innoculum comprising sulfide-utilizing bacteria is added to a waste produced by the animal. The process of the invention further includes administering to an animal a probiotic feed additive that includes organic digesting bacteria and lytic enzymes. Then an innoculum comprising sulfide-utilizing bacteria is added to a waste produced by the animal. The invention further includes a probiotic feed additive composition.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
For the purposes of understanding the invention, reference is now made to the preferred embodiments. No limitation of scope is intended by this description.
Definitions
The following terms have the described definition for purposes of this invention:
“Waste holding facility”—A facility for the holding, storage, and treatment of organic wastes, particularly animal waste, such as a pit or lagoon. This term also encompasses organic waste from sources other than animals, such as for example, plant waste and the like. The facility is exemplified by those found in large animal farms such as those raising hogs or cattle.
“Treating”—Treating means inoculating organic waste and/or the animal with a bacteria and/or enzymes designed to enhance efficient degradation of organic matter with reduced odors. This team also encompasses the addition of probiotic material to the animal.
“Sulfide-rich organic waste” is defined as malodorous animal waste harboring sulfide compounds, which waste is beneficially treated by the process of the invention. In general, the filtered sulfide content of the sulfide-rich animal waste ranges from about 1 mg/l to about 150 mg/l or greater. This term also encompasses organic waste from sources other than animals, such as for example, plant waste and the like. “Innoculum”—One or more bacteria, enzymes,
yucca schidigera
, ferrous chloride and oxidizing agents such as, for example, oxygen, halogen gases and the like, added to the organic waste material in the waste facility. The innoculum may be dried or fluid, mixed with a carrier or medium, and may include one or a mixture of bacteria, enzymes,
yucca schidigera
, ferrous chloride and oxidizing agents.
“Sulfide-utilizing bacteria”—Bacteria capable of utilizing sulfide, which may be anaerobic, aerobic, or facultative. Preferred is a consortium of sulfide-utilizing bacteria that includes bacteria which oxidize sulfide compounds. Most preferred is a consortium that includes bacteria capable of internalizing sulfur. Examples of useful sulfide-utilizing bacteria are found, for example, in Bergy's Manual, and include species of Purple Non-Sulfur Bacteria (e.g., Rhodospirillium), Chromatianeae (e.g., Chromatium), Green Sulfur Bacteria (e.g., Chlorobium), Colorless Sulfur Bacteria (e.g., Thiobacaterium), and Filamentous Green bacteria (e.g., Chloroflexus). A preferred mixture of sulfide-utilizing bacteria including Rhodospirillium, Chromatium and Thiobacillus is commercially available from Syneco Systems, Inc. (St. Louis Pk, Minn.) under the trade name Persnickety Brand 713™.
“Lowered-sulfide waste”—A lowered-sulfide waste of the invention is a waste treated with sulfide-utilizing bacteria to decrease the content of sulfides. In general, a lowered-sulfide waste is a treated waste capable of sustaining growth and activity of organic digesting bacteria. The filtered sulfide content of the lowered-sulfide waste can range from about 0.5 mg/l or less to about 5 mg/l or less. It is appreciated that the lower the content of sulfide in the waste, the more efficient the organic digesting bacteria.
“Filtered sulfide”—The filtered sulfide content of animal waste in an animal waste facility is determined using standard methods and analysis, for example method EPA 375.4. In general, a sample of the waste slurry is filtered to remove solids, and the filtrate is analyzed for sulfide content. In general, the filtered sulfide content of a sample is about 30-40% of the sample's measured solids sulfide content.
“Organic digesting microorganisms”—Organic digesting microorganisms of the present invention are those bacteria, yeast, and fungi, which degrade organic matter commonly found in animal wastes. The organic digesting bacteria may be aerobic, anaerobic, or facultative. Preferably, the organic digesting bacteria of the invention produce lytic enzymes such as proteases, lipases, hemicelluases, cellulases, esterases, xylanase, urease, phytase and amylases that degrade organic matter. Also preferred are bacteria that utilize ammonia and volatile fatty acids. Useful organic digesting bacteria include species of Bacillus, Clostridium, and Deinococcus. Particularly useful is a consortium of bacteria capable of a variety of degradation activities. For example, a commercial mixture of organic digesting bacteria including
licheniformis, pumilus, subtilus, amyloliquefaciens
and
megaterium
provided with a mixture of lytic enzymes from Athea Labs (Milwaukee, Wis.) under the trade name Digestase 900™ is particularly usefu
Miller Guy W.
Patterson Gregory Scott
BioSun Systems Corporation
Redding David A.
Sherrill Michael S.
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