PATENT ABSTRACTS 249

toxic materials in both the gaseous and liquid streams. Water from the soil bed reactor may then be discharged to a pond populated by plant and animal species which promote further degradation of any remaining toxic materials before the water is discharged from the system. A bioassay technique employing aquatic am- phipods sensitive to water borne toxic materials is provided for routine screening of toxicity levels in the various solutions in the system.

comprises a single tank having three separate zones which are, in the order in which the liquid to be treated passes through them successively: an aeration operating with plug flow; an anaerobic zone; and a completely mixed zone comprising means permitting it to operate under adjustable aeration conditions.

5196121

5196069

A P P A R A T U S A N D M E T H O D F O R C E L L U L O S E P R O C E S S I N G

U S I N G M I C R O W A V E P R E T R E A T M E N T

Hatice Cullingford, Clifford E George, George R Lightsey assigned to The United States of America as represented by the United States Na- tional Aeronautics and Space Administration

A method for pretreating a cellulosic waste pro- duct with microwaves is disclosed as well as a method and apparatus for converting cellulosic wastes into soluble saecharides. The invention greatly enhances a reaction rate for enzymatic hydrolysis. A feed mixture of cellulose, water and acetic acid are irradiated with microwaves at a superatmospberic pressure in an autoclave reaction vessel and the treated cellulose is en- zymatically hydrolyzed in a bioreactor. The acid and enzymes are optionally separated for reuse. As a feed stock for the culture of microbes, the sugars can be further processed into ethanol or food protein. High yield, low hazard potential, low energy usage and ready preparation in space of acetic acid and the enzyme makes the present invention well suited for use on long duration space missions.

5196111

R E A C T O R F O R T H E B I O L O G I C A L T R E A T M E N T O F

S E W A G E

Roger Nicol, Vincen Savall, Issy les Moulineanx, France assigned to Degremont

Improved reactor for the biological treatment of sewage, intended to replace the aeration tank in plants comprising an anaerobic tank in which denitrification takes place, an anaeration tank where the nitrification of the effluents by aerobic bacteria is carried out and a final clarifier, which

D E C O M P O S I T I O N O F H A L O G E N A T E D A L I P H A T I C

H Y D R O C A R B O N S I N A B I O R E A C T O R

Alan T Moore, Maureen C Leahy, M Margaret Findlay, Sam Fogel, Issyles Moulineaux, as- signed to ABB Environmental Services Inc

Methanotropics are grown in a bioreactor con- taining a solid support. They decompose halogenated aliphatic hydrocarbons found in ground water. The growth of the bacteria and the methane concentrations in the biomass reac- tor are controlled to significantly enhance the degradation of the hydrocarbons.

5200082

M E T H O D F O R R E M O V I N G T O X I C S U B S T A N C E S F R O M

I N D U S T R I A L A N D A G R I C U L T U R A L W A S T E W A T E R

Orrie C Olsen, Peter Santina, Issy les Moulineaux, assigned to Santina Water Com- pany

A method and system for removing toxic sub- stances such as selenium from industrial and agricultural drain water, and particularly refinery effluent liquor, achieves very high removal of the toxic substance economically, by a chemical reduction process. Preferably, the ef- fluent liquor is first filtered, which ordinarily is effective to remove selenium suspended in the li- quor. Next the liquor is heated, preferably to ab- out 150 degrees F., and a reducing agent such as finely powdered iron is added to bring, for ex- ample, the selenium down from a + 6 valence to +4 and lower valences. Sulfur is added to the slurry to greatly improve the effectiveness of the iron in reducing the liquor. The slurry is con- stantly agitated. After a reaction time which may be about 15 minutes, an oxidizing agent is added, with the temperature of the slurry then raised to