4921803 Immobilized blue-green algae

PATENT ABSTRACTS A process is described for rapid conversion of organic acids and alcohols in anaerobic digesters into hydrogen and carbon dioxide, the optimal precursor substrates for production of methane. The process includes addition of photosynthetic bacteria to the digester and exposure of the bacteria to radiant energy (e.g., solar energy). The process also increases the pH stability of the digester to prevent failure of the digester. Preferred substrates for photosynthetic bacteria are the organic acid and alcohol waste products of fermentative bacteria. In mixed culture with methanogenic bacteria or in defined co-culture with non-aceticlastic methanogenic bacteria, photosynthetic bacteria are capable of facilitating the conversion or organic acids and alcohols into methane with low levels of light energy input.

4920O50 ACIDIC POLYCYCLIC ANTIBIOTIC

ETHER

Walter P Cullen, James R Hauske, Gloria J Kostek, Hiroshi Maeda, Junsuke Tone assigned to Pfizer Inc An acidic polycycli¢ ether antibiotic, having structure established by X-ray crystallography, is formed by fermentation of a novel microorganism, Streptomyces sp. ATCC 53862. This novel antibiotic is useful as an anticoccidial in chickens, in the prevention or treatment of swine dysentery, and as a growth promotant in cattle and swine.

4920215 ANTIBIOTIC PRODUCED FERMENTATION

BY

Kelvin Holdom, John Ruddock, Junsuke Tone, Hiroshi Maeda, Martin Jefson, Ramsgate, United Kingdom assigned to Pfizer Inc The antibiotic of the formula: See Patent for Chemical Structure (I) wherein R is See Patent for Chemical Structure The antibiotic is useful for the treatment of swine dysentery and for pro-

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rooting growth and/or increasing the efficiency of food utilization in poultry, swine and ruminants. 4921~3 IMMOBILIZED BLUE-GREEN ALGAE Ronald S Nohr assigned to Kimberly-Clark Corporation A composite is prepared which includes a substantially water-insoluble particulate or fibrous support having a surface energy of at least about 19 dynes per cm to which nitrogen-fixing filamentous heterocystous blue-green algae are attached. The support does not have a deleterious effect on the viability of the attached algae, and is preferably polypropylene or cellulosic. Preparing the composite includes contacting the support with blue-green algae to permit the algae to attach to the support by means of heterocyst cells. The attached cells in a nitrogen-deficient environment, fix nitrogen at a rate substantially greater than unattached cells, and have agricultural applications.

4925663 BIOLOGICAL CONTROL OF IMPORTED FIRE ANTS WITH A FUNGAL PATHOGEN Jerry L Stimac assigned to University of Florida The subject invention concerns a novel biopesticide and its use to control imported fire ants which have caused significant economic harm to much of the southeastern United States. Specifically, a highly virulent isolate of Beauveria hassiana in an agricultural composition, can be used to effectively control ants of the genus Solenopsis. Exemplified herein is Beauveria bassiana No. 447, ATCC 20872. By using this novel fungus, or mutants thereof, fire ants can be controlled without the environmental and public safety hazards presented by chemical control agents.