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Cotton fibre technology
Ai cleanJng bugs
Bioproducts put to use
Although formaldehyde is an important basic chemical of many industrial production processes, it is known to be harmful and mutagenic, and is a suspected carcinogen. Now scientists at the Frauhofer Institute for Interracial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Germany, have developed a highly efficient and low cost method of treating waste air contaminated with this chemical. Formaldehyde is very volatile, and therefore is released very easily into waste air streams. Bintreatment tech nology of waste air harnesses the ability of micoorganisms to eliminate hazardous substances through metabolic activity. The latest technology is based on the bacterial strain Pseudnmonas putida j3 that was isolated by the Fraunhofer scientists. The strain is highly tolerant to t}~rmal dehyde and degrades the chemical easily. For the biotreatment of waste air containing formaldehyde the bacteria are immoblised in a bio-trickling filter. The bacteria grow on a biologically inert textile substrate that is continuously rinsed to provide the bacteria with the necessary nutrients. Waste air is ted into the bottom of the filter, and the formaldehyde is transported by diflhsion from the air to the liquid, and from there to the bacteria. Studies have shown that the technology degrades this
US company Amalgamated Research Inc (ARI) is currently working with the hlaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to design processing units that will efl'iciently and cost effectively separate the chemical components of various bioproducts. The separation technology under investigation incorporates both chromatography and membrane filtration. Currentb, the number nf products the technology may produce is unknown. Part of the study will involve breaking down the components of cellulose to create an energy source that is both economical and renewable. Currently producing ethanol as a fuel is expensive, but through the project a 25% saxing in ethanol production is anticipate(]. Equipment designs from ARI are being studied on computers at the 1NEEL to determine their efficiency. The partners are also working on devices to control the dynamics of fluids, which are key to the size reduction of the separation equipment. It is hoped that prototype units will be ready for testing sometime next year. According to the ARI the technology will be useful to the sugar, dairy, paint and plastics industries. The work is funded bv a US$1.9 million, 3-year grant fi'om the Department of Energy, as part of a programme to stimulate the USA's biobased products industry.
chemical efficiency. A waste air stream containing 1000 parts per million (ppm) of fi)rmaldehyde was purified to less than 10 ppm. The scientists plan to transfer the technology to industrial scale in the near lhture.
Cotton fibre technology Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, have developed a novel method for growing cotton fibres that could lead the way to improving fibre properties such as strength and plasticity. Up until now cotton fibres could only be grown in cell culture by floating the seeds or ovules on the surface of the liquid
medium. If the ovules sank fibre production stopped. However, with the new method the cotton seeds are fully submerged in a liquid containing special nutrients. It has been seen that the fibres produced are often smaller in diameter and have thicker cell walls. According to the scientists, these cotton fibres may have unique traits that require further investigation. It is hnped that through experimental intervention at both the cellular and molecular level the dimensions of the fibre, as well as the biosynthesis of cellulose, can be altered. In the future it may be possible to produce fibre products that have better quality and more diverse traits tot yarn and textile production.
Patent Summaries Deep Sea Water Desalination Method and System, GU Zhilong, China. WO 00/41971. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000. Composite Semipermeable Membrane, Process for Producing the Same, and Method of Purifying Water with the Same, Toray Industries Inc, Japan. WO 00/41800. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000. Process for Removing Organic and Inorganic Contaminants from Phenolic Stripped Sour Water Employing Reverse Osmosis, Texaco Development Corp, USA, WO 00/41972. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000.
18
December
2000
Deep Filter Media, Sinomed Ltd, USA. WO 00/43097. Date of Publication: 27 July 2000, Novel Method for Filtering Surface Water with Thin Supernatant Layer and Implementing Plant, Centre International De L-eau De Nancg (NANCIE), France. WO 00/44676. Date of Publication: 3 August 2000. Water Insoluble Linear Polysaccharides for Filtration, AventisResearch&TechnologiesGmbH &CoKG, Germany. WO00/44492. Date of Publication: 3 August 2000.
Filtration+Separation
Bioproducts put to use
Although formaldehyde is an important basic chemical of many industrial production processes, it is known to be harmful and mutagenic, and is a suspected carcinogen. Now scientists at the Frauhofer Institute for Interracial Engineering and Biotechnology IGB, Germany, have developed a highly efficient and low cost method of treating waste air contaminated with this chemical. Formaldehyde is very volatile, and therefore is released very easily into waste air streams. Bintreatment tech nology of waste air harnesses the ability of micoorganisms to eliminate hazardous substances through metabolic activity. The latest technology is based on the bacterial strain Pseudnmonas putida j3 that was isolated by the Fraunhofer scientists. The strain is highly tolerant to t}~rmal dehyde and degrades the chemical easily. For the biotreatment of waste air containing formaldehyde the bacteria are immoblised in a bio-trickling filter. The bacteria grow on a biologically inert textile substrate that is continuously rinsed to provide the bacteria with the necessary nutrients. Waste air is ted into the bottom of the filter, and the formaldehyde is transported by diflhsion from the air to the liquid, and from there to the bacteria. Studies have shown that the technology degrades this
US company Amalgamated Research Inc (ARI) is currently working with the hlaho National Engineering and Environmental Laboratory (INEEL) to design processing units that will efl'iciently and cost effectively separate the chemical components of various bioproducts. The separation technology under investigation incorporates both chromatography and membrane filtration. Currentb, the number nf products the technology may produce is unknown. Part of the study will involve breaking down the components of cellulose to create an energy source that is both economical and renewable. Currently producing ethanol as a fuel is expensive, but through the project a 25% saxing in ethanol production is anticipate(]. Equipment designs from ARI are being studied on computers at the 1NEEL to determine their efficiency. The partners are also working on devices to control the dynamics of fluids, which are key to the size reduction of the separation equipment. It is hoped that prototype units will be ready for testing sometime next year. According to the ARI the technology will be useful to the sugar, dairy, paint and plastics industries. The work is funded bv a US$1.9 million, 3-year grant fi'om the Department of Energy, as part of a programme to stimulate the USA's biobased products industry.
chemical efficiency. A waste air stream containing 1000 parts per million (ppm) of fi)rmaldehyde was purified to less than 10 ppm. The scientists plan to transfer the technology to industrial scale in the near lhture.
Cotton fibre technology Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin, USA, have developed a novel method for growing cotton fibres that could lead the way to improving fibre properties such as strength and plasticity. Up until now cotton fibres could only be grown in cell culture by floating the seeds or ovules on the surface of the liquid
medium. If the ovules sank fibre production stopped. However, with the new method the cotton seeds are fully submerged in a liquid containing special nutrients. It has been seen that the fibres produced are often smaller in diameter and have thicker cell walls. According to the scientists, these cotton fibres may have unique traits that require further investigation. It is hnped that through experimental intervention at both the cellular and molecular level the dimensions of the fibre, as well as the biosynthesis of cellulose, can be altered. In the future it may be possible to produce fibre products that have better quality and more diverse traits tot yarn and textile production.
Patent Summaries Deep Sea Water Desalination Method and System, GU Zhilong, China. WO 00/41971. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000. Composite Semipermeable Membrane, Process for Producing the Same, and Method of Purifying Water with the Same, Toray Industries Inc, Japan. WO 00/41800. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000. Process for Removing Organic and Inorganic Contaminants from Phenolic Stripped Sour Water Employing Reverse Osmosis, Texaco Development Corp, USA, WO 00/41972. Date of Publication: 20 July 2000.
18
December
2000
Deep Filter Media, Sinomed Ltd, USA. WO 00/43097. Date of Publication: 27 July 2000, Novel Method for Filtering Surface Water with Thin Supernatant Layer and Implementing Plant, Centre International De L-eau De Nancg (NANCIE), France. WO 00/44676. Date of Publication: 3 August 2000. Water Insoluble Linear Polysaccharides for Filtration, AventisResearch&TechnologiesGmbH &CoKG, Germany. WO00/44492. Date of Publication: 3 August 2000.
Filtration+Separation