US Government As Represented by the Secretary of the Army

David B Ringelberg

Philip Garcin Malone

Charles Arthur Weiss, Jr

Steven L Larson

Kevin P O'Connell

Victor F Medina

William A Martin

John K Newman

Modifications to the extracellular polymeric substance, predominantly extracellular polysaccharide, of a biopolymer produced byATCC 49672 yield a stable dry salt transported more easily than a fluid or gel and more stable than either. The salt may be re-constituted with water on-site. Embodiments may be employed as a soil amendment for soil strengthening, reducing hydraulic conductivity, erosion control and dust control as well as a metal chelator for contaminant remediation. Based on comparison with dextran standards, an embodiment demonstrated a molecular weight over 511,000 D. Embodiments include a day salt that is precipitated from solution and in use is re-hydrated back to original form. When added to a sandy soil at 0.1% by dry weight, an embodiment decreased the hydraulic conductivity by three orders of magnitude. These properties make embodiments of the present invention an attractive, 'green' alternative to petroleum-based synthetic polymers for such applications as rapid roadway construction and soil erosion prevention.

Soluble salt produced from a biopolymer and a process for producing the salt

Magnesium ammonium phosphate (struvite), suitable for use as a slow-release fertilizer for example, is produced by mixing animal manure with a pre-specified amount of a magnesium-rich compound. A pre-specified amount of an enzyme, such as an urease or uricase, is added to the resultant mixture. The temperature and pH of this mixture are maintained within a pre-specified range to facilitate precipitation of the magnesium ammonium phosphate. Optionally, the enzyme-supplemented mixture may be inoculated with a pre-specified amount of bacteria, such as , or , or a species of Bacillus identified as Bacillus sp. SB1. This bacteria-supplemented mixture is then allowed to incubate for about 14 days to form struvite. Alternatively, a pre-specified amount of phosphatase, an enzyme promoting the formation of phosphate from phosphorus-rich organic compounds, may be added with the first enzyme to further accelerate the process and increase the yield of struvite crystals.

Methods for accelerating production of magnesium ammonium phosphate while attaining higher yields thereof and a slow-release fertilizer produced therefrom

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Bradford, VT, United States of America

David B Ringelberg